Me an "asshole?"

Greetings Readers

The other day I decided to go for a run during my lunch break.

I was kind of pissed off and pounding some pavement tends to relieve some stuff. Just me and the road (well sidewalk if you want to get technical).

There I was running down the street when I came to my first intersection with a stoplight. The Green light was on in the direction I was running. However, the “red hand” signal for pedestrians was blinking off and on. Where I was going to cross.

Now, idling (but inching) that was going to turn towards me was a red truck. Both windows were open (rolled down), a dog in the back and a young girl looking in the opposite direction to see if a vehicle was coming her direction that she was turning into. Not once did she look in my direction to see if there was anyone coming in the opposite direction.

This scenario has played over in my life and will continue to do so after this day.

Well, by the time the oncoming car had past I was in the crosswalk with the red hand still blinking off and on and I had the green light. By law, I have the right of way. Any vehicle must yield to any vehicle and/or pedestrian that has the right of way in the direction the other vehicle/pedestrian are going in.

I was about three feet into the crosswalk when the red truck took off right into me. Not once did she even glance in my direction to see if anyone was coming in the opposite direction.

I yelled “Heads up” pretty darn loud since I had moments before being hit/run over. Readers, sure I could have stopped since I knew that she was not going to look my direction at all. I am pretty good at guessing at ignorant people who do not look both ways when they have to yield before turning. No point or point – I was not going to me whether I was going to get hit or not.

I heard the brakes lock on the red truck and then I give her “the look.” I said nothing since I did not need to say anything. Just “the look.” Well, “the look” did or did not help depending on your point of view”

I see her mouth form “You fucking asshole!”

Yes Readers, I was wearing my earphones and listening to some Tiesto. So, I could not hear her exactly say “You fucking asshole.”

Since I did not say the first words, because I was content with just “the look” I replied.

“Look both ways you Bitch.” And then I turned my head forward and I was running out of the crosswalk. By then the stoplight did change lights and the people who had the red light now have the green light.

I never looked back since I could care less what just happened.

Perhaps twenty yards later I noticed out of the corner of my right eye there was a vehicle matching my pace. I did not turn my head, but turn my eye as much as I could see (which was not much) and I could see the vehicle’s driver’s window down with a woman yelling/screaming at me.

I do not know why. I kept on running and where I was running. There is a middle concrete island separating traffic so I guess that kept me safe in a manner of speaking. Another twenty yards later that vehicle got into the turn lane to turn into a complex’s parking lot on my side of the road. All this time I pretended not to notice her.

Yet, I foresaw trouble. Since there was no oncoming traffic she had the opportunity to turn and perhaps really get into my face for whatever reason she was yelling about. I quickly slowed my running pace and hoped for on coming traffic coming around the corner. Sure enough the biking gods were watching over me. Three vehicles were coming and were going to block that person from getting to me. As soon I saw the vehicles coming I quickly turned up the pace and soon I was safely past that complex’s parking lot where she could have turned in to confront me.

All the time I never acknowledged her. I kept look straight ahead where I was running and with my Oakley’s on. I am sure that even infuriated her more.

However Readers, why was she pissed off and yelling at me? After thinking about it – probably that was her daughter in the red truck turning without even looking in the opposite direction that could have run me over if I had not yelled “heads up.” Or perhaps “sister” looking after another “sister.”

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete