Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Facebook Strong

Facebook Strong: Saying something obnoxious for the expressed purpose of being able to late brag about it on Facebook.

This original Urban Word of the Day is based on an actual incident involving yours truly and a Helicopter Mom to End All Helicopter Moms.
I'm driving down the road towards my local Fred Meyer, and am entering the left turn lane to get into the store, when I notice there is a driver tail-gating me - she wanted to get to the left turn lane first, even though I was well ahead of her. She got into the left lane and accelerated just as I was getting into the turn lane. So I'm thinking, "I have an angry bee behind me" "bee" here not standing for anything other than the black and yellow flying thing. Just so we're clear.
I waited in the left turn lane for a second or two to allow the pedestrian, a young man of about 6 feet tall, to get onto the far sidewalk; I noticed there was just enough time to make the left turn before the oncoming traffic would get to me, but not enough time for me and the angry bee to both make it.
I want to be clear about this, because this is the point of contention - the young man was on the sidewalk before I turned.
So I park my car and am assaulted by the angry bee who is shouting across the parking lot - "HEY! IF THAT WAS MY KID THAT YOU ALMOST HIT, I WOULD COME OVER THERE AND KICK YOUR BUTT. IT'S A LITTLE KID, FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!"
First reaction. Wha?
Second reaction: She must have thought that I turned too quickly, and that the pedestrian was in danger of being struck my me, which, as I've said, was clearly not the case.
Third reaction: Facebook Strong.
I imagined that she would race home - literally - and post something like, "I can't believe the insanity of drivers. This jerk in front of me came within an inch of vehicular manslaughter on a little boy at Freddies today. But did I take it lying down. I did not! I got out of my car and told him that if that was my kid that I would kick his butt."
Facebook strong.
Here's the ironic part. The "little kid," the six-foot teenager was actually walking in the parking lot, which I tried to tell her - "Hey, there's the kid right there - ask him if I almost hit him!" But when you're trying to have a rational discussion with an angry, self-righteous (tail-gating) bee (again, the black and yellow flying thing), it just sounds like shouting. She repeated, "IT'S JUST A LITTLE KID FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!" And the little kid was walking by her, towering over her.
And here's my favorite part of the moment. The "little kid" gave her a look like, "Who are you calling a little kid," and then he saw who she was yelling at - me - and gave me a look that said, "She's nuts."
Facebook Strong.

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