Monday, March 12, 2012

Obedient Driver

Today, I was driving on a not very busy street.  I notice a woman take a step just off the curb, so I slow a little bit.  She doesn’t have a hard hat on, or a vest, and there’s no road construction in the area that I can see.  But, she’s holding a stop sign like a road crew would have.  Hmm.  All of this takes a moment to process.

Oh.  Stop sign.  I should be stopping.  Does she mean it?  Why am I stopping?

So I stop.   I have both windows down, enjoying Denver’s 70-degree weather today, and I said to her, cheerfully, “Really?  I should be stopping?”

She snottily says, “Why would I be holding a stop sign if I didn’t want you to stop.” 

I said, “Well, you’re not standing in the road like they normally are, and it was just a little confusing.”

She haughtily explained that she wasn’t standing in the middle of the street because it’s dangerous (the duh was implied), and that’s why she’s lived this long (she was only about 40), then she pointed at the sign as she turned it and said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “Now you can go slowly.”  I still have no idea why.  I thought I might drive up on some road construction, but never did.

I think she was maybe just out there seeing how obedient Denver drivers would be.  The answer is, even when antagonized, very.

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