To the younger guy driving the silver car ahead of us in line to get our morning drive thru coffee fix in Cole Harbour Monday morning – thank you.
We were both in a cranky mood driving in from our house up the shore, we had been behind someone driving 25km UNDER the speed limit the whole way – we hadn’t had coffee and we were not fit yet for the world. We honked at the older gentleman in front of us to move up when he was signalling for you to go – even though he was there first – and I had it.. I lost it. I honked at him twice to just move forward and keep the line up moving – hence why the drive-thru has 2 lines for cars now. You looked back at us and were obviously not happy with our judgment call – I felt horrible that you were pissed at us for honking at him… and I started to recognize that I was being a total ass.
I wanted to get out and apologize to you but as it were I was driving and we were moving along to the window.
We went to pay and you had bought our coffees for us with the message “have a nice day”. I did end up having a nice day – and I paid for the people behind me with the same message.
Thank you for shaking me out of my selfish and irritable moment and bringing me back to reality – because really – what’s the rush?
I adore you for this. I hope YOU had a good day too!!! —Ms. Cranky Pants and her Mr. Cranky passenger
This article appears in Apr 25 – May 1, 2013.
Nukka’s getting free coffee from now on.
I do get the occasional bout of Road Rage, OP, and I can be a tad impatient by times. I have learned over the years that it gets me nowhere. We have no idea what is going on in another person’s life. Perhaps this poor gentleman’s health was failing in some way, maybe he was depressed over the loss of his dear wife and just needed a drive to clear his mind. We never know and can only control what goes on in our own lives. I count my blessings every day that I’m alive and well, and I have learned to have more patience than ever before. The fact that this was a younger guy who recognized your impatience and helped you to your 180 realization that it’s Just Not That Bad is awesome! There’s still hope for us all! I commend you for your post and hope that this lesson in life will carry on with you for the rest of your days. We all need to take some time….think before we act……..and learn to love one another. Pay it Forward (so glad you did)!
Hi Nukka!!
Great Love OP! So glad you had a good day, and supernice to know that there are some awesome gen-nexters out there too (great vibes going out to good guys in silver cars as I write:))!! So cool that you ‘paid the kindness forward’ as Heather noted:)) You seem like a good person.
We all ahve bad days–personally, I find that I have a hard time not feeling pissed off when I think someone has pulled a douche move (i.e. dangerous) in traffic. I try not to let myself get pissed off, but it is a challenge at times. As with ‘silver car man’ and yourself, I also like to pay kindnesses forward (and sometimes dole them out, out of the blue:P). In an effort to keep myself ‘in check’ while driving (driving pissed is NEVER a good idea, even if you are in the right) I decided to make sure I give a wave (actually, usually the peace sign:)), smile, and a ‘thanks’ whenever people are courteous to me in traffic. This is something that has helped me be in a better (i.e. more tolerant) mood while driving–I am pissed off waaaay less often and I enjoy my day more that way too!
I also give myself time in the am to pick a few choice CDs for the ride to work–puts me in a great mood and helps keep me there when the going is tough:)
Hope your weekend is lovely (yours too silver-car-dude), and that all your rides are smooth, kind, and fair:) Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed your post.