Crazy People

Inspirational song: Lunatic Fringe (Red Rider)

Is everybody in this city high? No, really, that's a serious question. I don't know who told these people that they know how to drive, but they lied. I was in close proximity to much gross buffoonery on the roads in the last few days, and I don't like it. Just today, Mr Smith Park, who is himself a piece of work behind the wheel, nearly caused me to get rear ended minutes after picking up my car from the dealership service center. A few minutes after that, it was I who panicked just a bit when a cyclist made moves as if to ride headlong into my path, a half block from where one cut directly in front of me last year (and proceeded to chew me out for not yielding to him when he came flying out of a pedestrian tunnel without slowing). Coming home from Boulder just now, I flinched and reflexively braked when the Bronco next to me never slowed for the car in his lane going slowly with flashers on. While I grimaced and waited for impact (or for him to cut in front of me as I thought he would do while there was plenty of room for it), he ended up stopping less than two feet from the slow vehicle, and shined his brights in their rear window, as if the near collision was entirely the fault of the guy breaking down, not of the one who never slowed down for the hazard. I decided getting off of highway 287 was advisable at that point, and as I zig-zagged through the major thoroughfares, I saw someone driving the wrong way along the left lane of three on 120th. I'm really not sure how I and my car survived this day.

South Carolina drivers have a well-earned bad reputation, plus high insurance rates as a corollary. But they are consistent, and in my opinion they are harmless. As long as you expect them to slow to a crawl to make any right turn and pull over for blue lights in the center turn lane, then you can survive them. Denver drivers are just flat-out crazy. I complained about them to my checker at Costco yesterday, and she said she grew up in California with the really aggressive drivers. She liked it better here because while Denver drivers suck, they're not in such a big hurry to suck. Fair point, I admit.

This has been a day of highs and lows. We started the day with a nightmare plumbing issue, with one of the units in the building that is perpendicular to ours flooding wildly in the bathroom, hall, and bedroom. Our BFF the owner couldn't get here right away, and the plumber was two hours out as well. Mr S-P and I were called in as reinforcements to mop and shop vac it until the Roto Rooter man could arrive. After snaking the six inch drain and struggling to get anywhere, we learned late in the day once again how important it is for ladies to dispose of their Aunt Flo waste in the trash, not flushing it. We ended the day with me getting quality time with my daughter (although not at the movie we planned) and Mr S-P taking the dogs up to his mountain for the first time. Plus, we got some good news that I will save for tomorrow. It's really good. Until then, say hi with me to my plants living in the temporary home of Smith Park. They are being well cared for, but I am ready to find them a permanent Park West.