Tales from the Steppes

2005-02-01

10:29 a.m.
Oh simple thing where have you gone

Stick a fork in me, I'm done. It's 10:30 in the morning and I feel like I have had enough of a day already, no reason to continue any further, call it a wrap.

This morning, I left the house early to head to my meeting with the EM's primary teachers. It was supposed to be yesterday but because of the school delay, we moved it. On my way there a woman hit my car with her car. On purpose. Today is the three month anniversary of my buying this car and I will celebrate by calling GEICO. I really needed another thing to deal with.

There I was, driving down Cedar Lane, minding my own business. Well, sort of. I was watching my rear view mirror and I did see this car passing people as they pulled over to let a police car pass. Truly tacky, as well as illegal. There is only one south-bound lane on the road, so she was definitely operating dangerously. She pulled up behind me and went to pass me on the right and I decided that I was not having any of this, so I did not cut her off but merely adjusted my car in the one lane. She passed me anyway and rammed me with her car as she then tried to cut back in. Unfortunately, I had nowhere I could go with my car so I could not get out of her way.

She was then blocking traffic, being sideways across the lane, and got out and began screaming at me. I tried to talk to her in a calm voice about the fact that she just deliberately hit me. Then people behind me got out of their cars and began yelling at her, for deliberately hitting me. I was amazed. But I did not raise my voice, collected names and phone numbers from witnesses, got her license tag and name, and suggested we handle this after we get to work and everyone is calm.

Very much a case of road rage. She wants to handle this without insurance companies being involved but she is out of luck. I should have gotten more information from her but she was frothing at the mouth and I knew that with her license tag and name, I could track it down. Perhaps I should have called the cops but there was very little damage done to my car and much more to hers. I know she works at NIH (she had her badge on) so I can always find her that way. I wonder what happened to her earlier that morning to set her off so. No reason to get angry myself though. Noew the fun begins of dealing with the mess. I am hopeful that my outcome will be better than last itme.

I was a little late for my eeting with EM's teachers. Not terribly tardy because I had left early, in a failed effort to show that I am organized enough to get myself there punctually. It was a bit strange because it was almost like I had not met earlier in the year with them and explained all of her organizational issues. I gave them the results of the testing we had done last year and thought they had read it. Apparently not.

I do feel sorry for the teachers, as I know they have too many kids and are being forced to juggle this horrible schedule as well, but my primary concern has to be for my child. And she is falling through the cracks because she is shy, well-mannered, and not failing.

I do believe them when they say they want to help her and hopefully this meeting is a start. I think the meeting tomorrow will be even more productive, since the teacher's hands are tied one some issues. Like the fact she has to move around constantly. The teachers are unhappy with the schedule and want me to reinforce the issues with the administration. Ok, I can do that. And apparently I am the one who needs to come up with a solution to the communication problem. I can do that too but I find it strange that they want me to tell them what to do about this.

In the course of all of my morning fun, I was running too late to make it to Pilates. Now I will get a call from my teacher so I can be chided for my lack of consideration. I did try to call her but her business is not listed with 411 and I could not remember her last name.

And I over-caffeinated so I am slightly dain bramaged.

Whatever.