As I was waiting at an intersection in Idaho Falls, I happened to observe another driver cut someone off prior to this particular traffic stop. One guy was clearly in the wrong, but thankfully no one was injured…physically, at least. But apparently the emotional trauma of the incident was so intense that the “victim” felt compelled to roll down his window and shout obscenities into the howling Eastern Idaho wind.

Then the bad driver also started screaming, which I always find interesting, since the entire situation was a direct consequence of his own inattentiveness. As I was pondering the psychology of Road Rage, ironically I lost focus and inadvertently cut off a guy before pulling into an Albertson’s parking lot. Oops.

Well, the individual that I cut off pulled into the parking lot, jumped out of his car, and started staggering towards me as I entered the store. Observing his profound right Trendelenburg gait indicative of significant gluteal weakness (and likely end-stage osteoarthritis of his hip), I felt confident that I could easily run through a few aisles and escape if necessary.

Then he, quite predictably, unleashed a fusillade of expletives, and I calmly said, “I’m really sorry, it was entirely my fault.”

Surprised, he repeated himself…perhaps the message hadn’t sunk in!

“Yes sir, I should have been paying attention,” I said. As I asked him for forgiveness, I offered a handshake. Instead, he withdrew his hand as if I had the plague and gave me a gesture with one finger…and then verbally stated the accompanying profane phrase for good measure before storming off. Sweet guy.

This week has been rough for a bunch of reasons, so I found a gym…always a good way to get some endorphins going…and somehow whacked my head on the bar while doing pull-ups. Now I’ll have to explain the giant goose egg on my forehead during my dinner presentation tonight! Life, Lumps, and Lipids, perhaps

Some days you feel like a Human Pinata, but hopefully sweet things come out of you even when you’re being bludgeoned by various circumstances.

Ephesians 4:29