(If foul language disturbs you, skip this post.)

1)
A few weeks ago we had a sudden 2-3 days of Spring-ish warm weather, then WHAM!, we were back to below freezing. Yesterday, the next attempt at Spring shoved into the area, and again it tried to get the season's engine turned over.

In my shop, a HUGE Fly - you know the kind - it can barely come up with the power to get itself up into and through the air (it must weigh a pound!) - came lumbering through my space. I'm sure it was in the back room hibernating since last Fall. Flies do that.

I watched him drag his sagging, heavy ass slowly through the still air of the shop. Should this BUS-of-a-Fly pass near one of my motion sensors tonight, I can GUARANTEE YOU he would set off my alarms and bring the police. No joke. Bugs can do that. I had one the size of child's shoe do it.

So...do I kill him to avoid this unnecessary risk?

Nah.

I left his big, lumbering, sleepy self alone. I'll take the chance. I wouldn't want anyone taking advantage of MY weak, groggy condition after a superb nap, either.

TODAY You Live - Groggy, Lost Creature.

2)
I was driving on fumes, so I stopped at the next gas station (excluding Exxon, which I've boycotted since the FAKE Valdez oil spill "cleanup"). Pulling up to the pumps, I spied a ragged, greasy back pack and other bum equipment on the building's side property. Alerted, I scanned for the owner and found him not far away - weaving in a drunken state, arguing to himself, smoking a cigarette, and trying to keep his eyelids up.

He looked like potential trouble. I debated adding my weapon to my coat, but I was within view of the woman cashier behind the thick glass of her money booth. She couldn't see the bum from her point of view, and I didn't want HER thinking I was a threat. By this time, the bum is standing near the rear fender of my car. He's lined up to panhandle me upon my exit.

I go over the circumstances again. I don't know if he's carrying a Gun or a Knife. I don't know if he's on Crack or Wine. I don't know if he was just released from an Asylum. All of my "alarms" were set, yet I stuck to my conclusion - despite the increased risk. I left the weapon in my car, and locked it behind me.

As expected, he approached me. This was when I saw his REAL threat - and it PISSED ME OFF. He was standing at my gas pump, panhandling for 37 cents, where I now had my tank open and fuel was about to transfer - with his lit cigarette hanging from his drunken, gesturing hand.

"37 cents huh? You want MY money while YOU stand here at GASOLINE PUMPS with a goddamn LIT cigarette!!? Get the fuck away from here before you kill everyone within half a mile - all because YOU want thirty seven fuckin' cents!!!"

He weaved and blinked in slow motion. "Oh....... yeh.....I guess I ....... uh, yeh.......sorry man.. I just....."

"Move away! NOW!!!"

He stood swaying. I stopped, closed the tank, went into the station, told the woman to call the cops, I came back out, she followed and told him to get off the property... which he would not do since he was after 37 cents from SOMEONE, ANYONE, at ANY GAS PUMP... even if we all had to die with him.

He backed off a few yards in fake cooperation. She went back into her booth. He had no intention of leaving.

As I finished refueling, he was 50 feet away, staring my direction, wobbling, cursing, and having a one-way conversation with someone - an invisible someone with whom he was now angry. The employee was again out of view. He and I watched each other, and after another of his one-way cursings in my direction, I said:

"You're NOT talking to me, RIGHT???!"

"......................uh............no, ...man, ...........I'm .........talkin' to........ uh....." He pointed at an empty car.

"That's good," I said.

The guy had bugged me long enough. He'd threatened my life with his stupidity and his fire. I watched this lumbering fool stumble through my space with hardly the power to get himself across the property. I thought:

"You goddamned idiot! NOW - depending upon how you react towards the police or if you set off the gasoline - your future will be determined. Today, at least for the next few minutes, you (and others) live. You'd best buzz off. As for me, I'm leaving before it all hits the fan."

3)
After work, I was driving along the highway I use everyday. I hate this route because bad drivers prefer it for exhibiting their sociopathic stupidity, but it's my one quick route home.

My car was in the slow lane, in 5th gear, with cruise control set at 62 mph. The speed limit is 55. When I'm in NO mood to deal with creeps, this is what I do. I'm often the slowest person on this road. Problem is, creeps seek me. I'm sure you feel the same.

In my left side view mirror, I see him coming up fast. A redneck fool in his white Ford suv... traveling at least 85-90 miles per hour, swerving back and forth from lane to lane, dodging "slower" cars (you know, like doing 70 or 80 mph). By the time I could get a clear view of his rear license plate, he was too far ahead. My idea was to call the state police, who usually have a car about three miles ahead. He'd be an easy catch, and this guy had to be stopped as soon as possible. But, with no tag number and the fact police have blown off my calls before, I snorted and skipped it. I just wanted to get home in peace.

Within half of a mile/half a minute, I saw a traffic jam ahead. The cars seemed to be stopped in an unusual pattern. I slowed to make sense of it. The creep in the Ford had spun out of control, slid across all of our lanes, flipped and rolled over into the center grassy median, continued to flip across into the oncoming lanes, and stopped - completely smashed - against a wooded area at the edge of the road. Cars were stopped everywhere because he'd just missed them, possibly hit some. A few people were running towards the clouds of dust and smoke.

THEN I called 911. It took at least 20 rings before the state police answered. I reported the accident, said I did not know for sure if other vehicles were involved (the site was buzzing with confused activity), and added (because they tape 911 calls) "I want to you to know that the driver of the crashed white Ford s.u.v. passed me less than a minute ago doing at least 85 or 90, swerving back and forth across all of our lanes. He brought this on."

This son of a bitch was in EVERYONE'S space, and threatened EVERYONE'S lives. I wanted it on record, in case HE lived and someone ELSE died. His threat, though currently brought to a halt, needs permanent removal. My wife could be dead right now. YOUR loved one could be dead right now.

As often happens, the planet lines up experiences so if you don't understand one, you'll understand another, or the next... or the one after that.