About Me:

Aloha! I'm Wendy Kennar. I'm the mother of a seven-year-old son and a wife living in Los Angeles. I was a public school teacher for twelve years until a chronic medical condition made it necessary to leave my teaching career.

I've always been described as "quiet" - really, I'm just biting my tongue. I've got lots to say, and lots of thoughts to share, I just prefer to write them. That's the purpose of this blog. Each Wednesday, I post a personal essay offering my observations and thoughts.

A few fun facts about me: I've wanted to be a writer since second grade, when my teacher, Mrs. Jones, made me a "book" with a yellow construction paper cover. I have never learned to whistle, have always preferred sunflowers to roses, and have spent my life living within the same zip code.

Through the years, my writing has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, United Teacher, GreenPrints, L.A. Parent, DivineCaroline.com, RoleReboot.org, XOJane, and Brain, Child Magazine. Additionally, my personal essays have been included in several anthologies, including: The Barefoot Review, Beyond the Diaper Bag, Lessons From My Parents, Write for Light, Being a Grown-Up: A User's Manual for the Real World, Ka-Pow!, How Writing Can Get You Through Tough Times, Breath and Shadow, The Grey Wolfe Storybook, and Sisters Born, Sisters Found.
I am a regular contributor at MomsLA.com, and you can also find me at Goodreads.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Feel free to comment and share my blog with others!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Dealing with Drivers, Wendy-style


   I guess you could say I’m passive-aggressive.  I am not one quick to shout, to curse, or to give someone “the finger.”  I find those reactions don’t get a whole lot accomplished.  However, I am not above being annoyed and frustrated by the actions of others.  These actions usually fall into one of three categories:  selfish, ignorant, or unsafe.  

   I react to these actions, but in a way that most people aren’t expecting.  My reactions are thus a surprise.  It takes the offender a moment to realize what I’ve done, and since I haven’t responded with an expected curse word, I have, most times, angered the offender even more.

   Let me give you some examples:

   In the selfish category:  This is a person who is completely wrapped up in him/herself, totally oblivious to others around.  For instance, the person who parks their shopping cart in the middle of the market aisle, thus making it impossible for anyone else to navigate and select a box of Cheerios from the shelf.  This is the person who double-parks to dial on a cell phone, instead of pulling next to the curb where there are ample parking spaces.  I give these people a beep of the horn or a nudge with my cart, and sometimes a snarky comment (“The lines are painted on the street for a reason”or “Too bad there isn’t a speed limit on this street”), which they may or may not hear. 

   In the ignorant category:  The driver who is
holding up traffic to make a left-hand turn, when the sign clearly dictates no left-turns allowed at that particular time of day.  Horns are honking, tempers are flaring, and this ignorant driver is becoming increasingly agitated that he/she is the subject of such hostility, all for a left-hand turn, which he/she still hasn’t realized isn’t legal.  I admit, most times, I am one of those people who will keep my hand on my horn, trying to point to the sign overhead and shed some light on a person who maybe shouldn’t be in possession of a driver’s license.

   And then there is the worst category; the unsafe one.  Unsafe is the person who is tailgating me down a residential street, honking and making hand gestures when I didn’t speed up through a yellow/almost red light, but instead stopped.  I respond with a wave.  If that same driver will speed ahead of me further along the street, only to come to another red light, I applaud.  Their speed and unsafe driving has gotten them to the same traffic signal as me.  

   And as a bonus, I, on occasion, ask the powers that be to send a large bird that driver’s way where I hope that bird will make an unsightly deposit on the car’s windshield.

3 comments:

  1. You really covered this one.People seem to be very inconsiderate and are only concerned about themselves.I have a hard time dealing with the people on the side streets close to my house that seem to feel it is fine to drive down the middle of the street and take over more space than they should.They don't seem to like to share the road.If I should honk my horn I am usually given the finger or a few choice words have been said to me both by men and women.I so love reading your work.I love you and I am very proud of you.
    love,mommy

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  2. Honey,
    I love reading your commentaries about human behavior. I really enjoy how you and I can squeeze each others hand when we both recognize some outrageous behavior in the world.
    I Love You!
    me

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  3. What you wrote about is something I experience all the time lately.It is hard to believe people can be so rude and inconsiderate.It is why when your mother and I are going some place together I always let her do the driving.I really enjoy your essay's.I am very proud of you.
    love,dad

    ReplyDelete