Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

Road Rage?

I was minding my own business, calmly and quietly driving my little white car down a back street in South Paris. The snow was piled high on both sides of the road, and the wind was causing the loose, powdery snow to drift, making the road even narrower.

I wasn't going fast; I'm not one of those insane drivers who thinks messy road conditions don't matter. But even when you're driving slowly and carefully, bad things can happen - especially right after a snowstorm.

I didn't see it at first, that big white van. That's surprising, in a way, since the van was so big - but not so surprising in another way, since it was also so very white. The van was parked in its driveway with snowbanks on either side that were almost as tall as the van. Naturally, the driver had very limited visibility as he was trying to pull out onto the road.

He didn't see me. I was almost directly behind him, and with the roads as slushy and icy and wet as this back road was, there was no way I could stop. I was about to get nailed from the side.

I don't always think quickly under pressure, but as I was skidding past his driveway I saw that there was no oncoming traffic, so I swerved into the other lane, and - in an attempt to get the fellow's attention - laid out two long, grating blasts on my car horn.

He stopped.

As I continued driving, it occurred to me that the fellow in the van probably thought I was mad at him - and why wouldn't he think that? The horrid, cacophonous sound of a car horn is incapable of sending any message but, I'm really ticked off - get out of my way!

But the truth is, I wasn't mad at all. I live in Maine also, and I know what it's like to try to see past enormous snowbanks. And since I had a hard time seeing his big white van, I can sympathize with him not seeing my little white car.

No, I wasn't mad - just a little scared. But a car horn is incapable of conveying fear - just rage.

But not to worry - hope is on the way. The latest news in the business world is that next quarter, Ford Motors will be forming a partnership with Microsoft Corporation, and before next winter begins, all car horns will come equipped with emoticons.

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