Raw, but c*nsored blabbing and blogging of a young journalista
and local news producer in Southern New England.
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Thursday, July 07, 2005

You know, people get pissed off when you do that

I just ran across an amazing case of JUSTIFIED road rage (the blogger's rage was justified, not the "other party's"): "YOU'RE THE PERSON WHO CAUSES WRECKS. ...YOU STUPID BITCH!"

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Route 2 in Warwick sucks. People in Rhode Island tend to pull out into traffic rather than wait for traffic to let up because Rhode Island traffic patterns tend to discourage the lack of oncoming traffic. One day I was pissed off to begin with and some woman -- yes, it was a woman -- was trying to pull out of a gas station in front of me.

I pulled right in front of her and blocked her to make her angry. "No," I motioned through the silent window, "you have to go back into the gas station and wait your turn."

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Once I was in Boston (Cambridge, actually) and this guy -- I think -- was going extremely slowly in front of me on Mass Ave. I pulled right in front of him and started slowing down and stopping and otherwise pissing him off.

I think he ended up pulling in front of me, and maybe I started tailgating him royally. Maybe I even honked.

All I truly remember is being BEHIND him, as he stopped the car and got out and gave me the dirty look that says "Do we have to take this outside and roll up our sleeves?"

The fact that he was a big black dude who probably just got out of the gym kind of probed me into feigning car trouble.

I don't know, Kel, do YOU remember what all happened?

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Of course the rough play at Dunkin' Donuts the other day was kind of indirectly road rage. It was precipitated by bad traffic. I think anyway.

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Today I gave myself a flat tire, apparently out of spite. I think it took me a while for some reason to get out to Providence today but I forget why -- I was going to get my hair cut at the place I've been going to on Wickenden Street.

But they're closed for the week for VACATION. "One of these days, ...." I said out loud in frustration outside the door.

I decided to go see if one of the strip malls up North Main would have a Supercuts. One of them that was practically over the line into Pawtucket had something along those lines but I wasn't into it.

I grabbed 95 and headed towards Garden City, where I figured there would be a cheap clip joint. Alas, there was only a high-class salon. What else do you expect at Garden City?

I headed up Route Two back towards Providence to see if there was yet another strip mall in Cranston that would have a haircutter's. Indeed, at the corner of Reservoir Ave and Park Ave, there's been a Fantastic Sam's next to the Subway, the Spike's Junkyard Dogs and Papa Gino's.

I pulled into a spot. The lights were off in the space. I couldn't believe it. It was about 5:00 PM. Had they closed for the day? No -- the space was EMPTY. THEY'VE CLOSED FOR GOOD!

I took two seconds to get out and look at the sign that said they had moved down Park Avenue next to Cranston East High School.

I sighed.

I got on Park Ave and all of a sudden there it is -- in a newer, two-story strip mall/office building. I turn at the next street thinking there would be an entrance just past the corner. No. I try turning around. No, I'm on a one-way street. Then I'm on another one-way street. I end up turning around, and seeing DO NOT ENTER signs everywhere.

In a huge motion I turn around in an intersection for the umpteenth time today. I drive my front passenger wheel right into the curb.

Once I righted myself I just about rammed right into the back of a mail minivan whose male mail carrier had just disembarked moments ago.

I found my way back to the old Fantastic Sam's which was closed and said, you know, first things first. I was getting bloody hungry too.

I went and ate at Subway.

I come out, get in the car, drive forward, and my front passenger tire is going WHUMP-A-WHUMP-A-WHUMP.

I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid.

I pull forward further into another spot and examine the tire. Flat as a pancake.

I check the trunk. No magic can of "Fix-a-Flat" that came with the Roadside Assistance kit that my parents gave me because they gave it to me in Oregon and I didn't want to take the aerosols on the plane.

I walked down Park Avenue again -- past the new Fantastic Sam's. Something said to me, WAIT TO GET YOUR HAIR CUT. TAKE CARE OF THE TIRE FIRST. So I didn't get my hair cut. Yet.

Walked into the Rolfe Square Benny's. Found can of Fix-a-Flat. Made yet another credit card purchase.

Upon arrival back at the car I found the air valve nipple (???) was damaged. It was this that made me think, aha! maybe I just did this to myself -- the valve could have been pressed down enough in this damage -- when I drove into the curb a few streets over.

I used the Fix-a-Flat. I let up on the button in error while the sealant was flowing into the tire (you are supposed to keep the button down until the sealant stops flowing) so the tire is now low. While I was sitting there a guy comes over to me and strikes up a conversation about the flat, eventually getting to the old "Can you spare $1 so I can get a coffee?" and receiving my usual "I'm fresh out."

It was now close to 7:00. I think about the one big tire & auto store that's way down Route 2 practically to West Warwick (past the Kent County Courthouse, near the Christmas Tree Shops). I head BACK down Route 2.

A Town Fair Tire on the way is closed. But Pep Boys was still open. They couldn't check my tire tonight, but I've got an appointment for noon tomorrow, erm, today. I also couldn't buy a new can of Fix-a-Flat to keep in the car because all they had was the "LARGE TIRE" variety for SUVs.

I eventually got the regular variety at Target.

....What the hell was I talking about again?......

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 7/07/2005 01:30:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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