So, Dirk was driving into the office this morning when a driver of a big rig became very irate with him and nearly ran his car into the HOV lane.
Apparently the truck driver was in more of a hurry than Dirk was! He started driving so close behind that Dirk was not able to see his license plate. Being afraid that the driver would run into him, he didn’t hit the brakes, but picked his foot up off of the gas and slowed down just enough to let the driver know that he was following too close. Well, this sent the driver into a rage. He switched into the lane beside Dirk and attempted to drive into Dirk’s lane. Unfortunately, there was no place to go but into the HOV lane. In Dallas, on this highway, the HOV lane is separated by traffic poles which are collapsible, but could cause real damage if struck at high speed.
Dirk held up his cell phone to let the driver know that he was calling the number listed on his truck. Before the driver backed off, he rolled down his window and threw a cup of coffee at Dirk’s car. Thank God the driver came to his senses before this got any worse!
Dirk called the driver’s employer and reported the incident. They claimed that they would take care of it. Okay…this is where I must say…MY HUSBAND IS A LOT NICER THAN I AM!!! My initial thinking was there no way I would have let this driver get off this easily. I asked Dirk if he was going to call the police. He said, “No, I’ll let his boss handle it in the way he thinks is best.” At first, I couldn’t believe that he wasn’t going to call the police. Then I quickly realized that this was just Dirk’s way (of handling most things) not making more out of it then reporting to the driver’s place of employment. After much thought and getting over my anger with this driver, I feel that Dirk handled this correctly and probably better than most of us would have.
Okay women friends ….……………I know what most of you are thinking while reading this.
I can think of several ways that I would have initially reacted to this had it been me!
First, let’s assume that I survived the incident in the first place and didn’t die running into the HOV lane.
Secondly, I would have immediately called the authorities.
Thirdly, I would have made every attempt to have the law changed for this irate driver to take an Anger Management class before being allowed to go back out on the freeway. Just kidding!
Last, but definitely not least, I would thank God for saving my life!
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2 comments:
Daphine,
Sometimes our first reaction is the right one. For Dirk, his reaction was surely the right one.
If God had allowed that to happen to you, the reaction would have been different but not necessarily incorrect. (By the way, remember that God didn't allow that to happen to you, on purpose.)
We need people in the world who are like Dirk, but we also need people to react the way you would have too. Otherwise, how can laws get changed, and who will keep those who would do evil to others at bay.
God created us all different for a very good reason. If we were all alike and reacted the same way to situations, then there would be no balance, and people eventually would cease to exist.
That might sound silly, but if you stop and think about it for a moment, it is really ture.
I am more like Dirk on most things, and say to myself and others that I will leave it in God's hands to deal with the situation. However, God does use people to exact his purposes too. So I could also argue that maybe God want ME to see a wrong and take major action on it.
In the case of the angry driver, maybe he needs to get anger mgmt. or even go to jail in order that the same situaiton or much worse does not end up happening to someone else.
If I say I will leave it in the hands of the boss, and allow God to fix it, and then everyone else does too, then who will God use to intervene with future catastrophe? However, this reaction is an exhibition of faith and not an incorrect reaction at all.
See, it takes some of both of these to make the right balance in the world.
The fact that you would react differently than Dirk did is just a wonderful testament that the two of you are a perfect balance for each other.
Either reaction would be correct, as long as it is based on the proper intentions, and not on anger as well.
Are you kidding me? What a total jerkface!!! Yeah--Dirk is a lot nicer than the VAST majority of us. Definitely nicer than me. I think he's just patient, too! I could use some of that niceness/patience.
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