Flood

It is raining torrents. I am driving in the slow lane of an interstate highway packed with vehicles. Standing water slows traffic. And, here comes the red pickup truck in a hurry.

My first thought was maybe the driver of the red pickup is having an emergency. But, more likely, he is having a temper tantrum due to delayed gratification since he cannot speed and weave through traffic like a NASCAR racer.

Well, the driver of the red pickup is, needless to say, not happy at the delay. He speeds then skids then barely misses scrapping, sideswiping one vehicle after another. I slow down in hopes he will move ahead but he manages to rear-end a car one lane over two cars behind me.

I do not know what happened, but the speeds were mercifully under twenty miles per hour, so a fender bender but no human injuries. I guess. And so I later muse on what just happened.

Why are so many adults acting like nitwits? On the road, in airports, on buses, planes, and in grocery stores? Their numbers seem greater. Is this a symptom of long-term COVID-19, or are such temper tantrums a child brought up on television and cell phones? If denied immediate gratification of their momentary whim, are they incapable of self-control? Does this make them lousy lovers?

In conclusion, oh ... you want more on the lousy lovers aspect. Well, fair enough, people who want instant gratification make lousy lovers. They think only of their little red pickup and feel no empathy for what it takes to be a safe driver and a pleasant companion ... drive friendly and have patience.

In conclusion, I wonder if you, gentle reader, have noticed an increase in juvenile behavior in the last year or so. Or, is it just the poor side of the bell curve, and you can’t fix stupid red pickup truck drivers.