Riding and Rude People

My alarm didn't go off when I thought it would. I forgot to set it for 6:30am. I woke up abruptly at 7:00 thinking that I might be too tired or to late to ride my bike into work. But for the last week I've been so pumped to do it that I gathered up all my stuff, put on my shorts, got my son up so he'd get ready to go to school, and started out. It was great! I'm not in the best shape but I made good time, doing the whole eight and a half miles in about forty minutes. When I got to the railroad tracks, which meant I was getting close, I was amazed that it had only been half an hour. The traffic got a little dicey on the two-lane county road, 56th West, because the shoulder is slim and unpaved. But other than that, my little jaunt was fantastic. I can't wait to do it again.

I forgot to mention this the other day, when my family was in town: On the way to the get-together, we stopped at the grocery store to get some bread for the sandwiches that were being served. I went in on my own while my family waited in the van, got a couple of loaves, and stood in the shortest line I could find. I was dressed in a suit and tie (really just some $20 dockers and a suit jacket someone had given me--I can't afford a suit...are you kidding me?). Then I noticed a rough, unkempt man coming out of one of the isles, his arms loaded with soda and other groceries, headed toward me. He cut in front of me saying, "Get out of my way, you son of a bitch!" I'm my father's son so this pissed me off. I approaced him and glared at him but he just slammed his stuff on the counter and avoided my look. I was so mad! When he got up to the cashier, she seemed to know him and he became very meek. He needed help counting the money for what he was buying. He was very nice to her, accepting her kindness rather humbly. But every time he looked at me the scowl crept back over his face--almost baring his teeth. I don't know what his problem with me was. I must have reminded him of someone. Whatever it was, seeing how childlike he was at the counter calmed my anger. I only wanted to club him about half as much as before.