Waiting is claustrophobic torture for me, maybe for everyone...I don’t know. All I do know is that I get to a point where I cannot stand one more second of it. In utter exasperation, I have abandoned carts full of groceries in supermarket checkout lines, even though my house was devoid of food, and on at least one occasion I have limped out of a hospital emergency room before being seen by a doctor, even though I had a fractured toe and a bloody, possibly broken nose.
I do admit, though, that I was a little irritated because the traffic was backed up more than would be normally expected. The traffic was so congested, in fact, that I could not see the traffic lights from where I sat idling in my car.
"Great,” I grumbled to myself, “I'm going to miss the ferry at this rate!"
As the minutes ticked by, I could feel my initial irritation begin to grow into an increasing state of rage. After 10 excruciating minutes the traffic had not even budged a centimeter. I let out a heavy sigh.
"Stupid BC Ferries! There should be more lanes!"
Over the next 10 minutes my frustration intensified. It was a hot, sunny day, I had no air conditioner, and I was not feeling well from the night before. All I wanted to do was get on the ferry and get home to bed. If this traffic didn't hurry up and MOVE I really was going to miss the ferry!
I felt little beads of sweat form along my brow and was so overwhelmed with the urge to either cry or hit something that I did cry and I did hit something – my own head against the steering wheel.
After bashing my skull for a few minutes, I proceeded to savagely shake my entire body back and forth while still holding onto the wheel and repeatedly shouting “fuck” until I was hoarse.
Another 10 minutes of this waiting, and the tears of pure anguish and frustration freely streamed down my face. This was insanity! I viciously slammed hard on the horn while yelling as loud as I could, "MOVE! MOVE! MOVE! For the love of God MOVE!"
As I went to stick my head out the window to finger and shout obscenities at the motorists in front of me, I became aware of a pedestrian who was poking his head in through the open passenger door window opposite me.
"Are you okay Miss?" he asked with what sounded like genuine concern.
But before I could find my voice to answer him, I simultaneously noticed two things: First, a car had just whizzed past me on my left towards the ferry, and second there were NO PEOPLE in the vehicles lined up in front of me.
For an agonizing 30 minutes, I had worked myself up into such a fury that I failed to notice the true reason for the non-moving traffic. The ENTIRE time I was falling apart like a 2-year-old in the midst of a tantrum because it's taking too long for his turn on the swings, I had been waiting behind a long lineup of vacant vehicles parked along the side of the street and yes - I did miss the ferry.
Once, during Christmas time, I grew so incensed by the wait, I violently threw an armful of intended gift items right there on the department store floor and screamed, "That's it! NO ONE gets presents from ME this year!!" before storming out.
However, it wasn't until I found myself waiting at a traffic light that I realized how unreasonable and foolish my impatience was making me.
Waiting and grumbling about waiting in ferry lineups is an integral part of island living. As an islander, I was quite accustomed to this feature of island life. Thus, when I found myself behind a long lineup of vehicles stopped at a set of lights near the ferry terminal, it did not bother me at first.
However, it wasn't until I found myself waiting at a traffic light that I realized how unreasonable and foolish my impatience was making me.
Waiting and grumbling about waiting in ferry lineups is an integral part of island living. As an islander, I was quite accustomed to this feature of island life. Thus, when I found myself behind a long lineup of vehicles stopped at a set of lights near the ferry terminal, it did not bother me at first.
I do admit, though, that I was a little irritated because the traffic was backed up more than would be normally expected. The traffic was so congested, in fact, that I could not see the traffic lights from where I sat idling in my car.
"Great,” I grumbled to myself, “I'm going to miss the ferry at this rate!"
As the minutes ticked by, I could feel my initial irritation begin to grow into an increasing state of rage. After 10 excruciating minutes the traffic had not even budged a centimeter. I let out a heavy sigh.
"Stupid BC Ferries! There should be more lanes!"
Over the next 10 minutes my frustration intensified. It was a hot, sunny day, I had no air conditioner, and I was not feeling well from the night before. All I wanted to do was get on the ferry and get home to bed. If this traffic didn't hurry up and MOVE I really was going to miss the ferry!
I felt little beads of sweat form along my brow and was so overwhelmed with the urge to either cry or hit something that I did cry and I did hit something – my own head against the steering wheel.
After bashing my skull for a few minutes, I proceeded to savagely shake my entire body back and forth while still holding onto the wheel and repeatedly shouting “fuck” until I was hoarse.
Another 10 minutes of this waiting, and the tears of pure anguish and frustration freely streamed down my face. This was insanity! I viciously slammed hard on the horn while yelling as loud as I could, "MOVE! MOVE! MOVE! For the love of God MOVE!"
As I went to stick my head out the window to finger and shout obscenities at the motorists in front of me, I became aware of a pedestrian who was poking his head in through the open passenger door window opposite me.
"Are you okay Miss?" he asked with what sounded like genuine concern.
But before I could find my voice to answer him, I simultaneously noticed two things: First, a car had just whizzed past me on my left towards the ferry, and second there were NO PEOPLE in the vehicles lined up in front of me.
For an agonizing 30 minutes, I had worked myself up into such a fury that I failed to notice the true reason for the non-moving traffic. The ENTIRE time I was falling apart like a 2-year-old in the midst of a tantrum because it's taking too long for his turn on the swings, I had been waiting behind a long lineup of vacant vehicles parked along the side of the street and yes - I did miss the ferry.
Wow, what an awesome loss of temper over something over which you had no control. I hope you learned your lesson ... patience is a virtue!
ReplyDeleteay gurl, you crazy
ReplyDeleteas always, i enjoy your posts. come get the award i have for u at http://www.ifeelsounnecessary.com/
ReplyDeleteOMG !!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
ReplyDeleteAre we related?? o.O
ReplyDeleteOh my god, that was the ferry from Morocco to Spain right. Because I was in that line behind you swearing like a f&*^&g idiot...
ReplyDeleteAh, ferry lineup rage – the great equalizer and common ground for peoples all over the globe who live near large bodies of water. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi there! Sorry it took so long to check out your blog, I am MuMuGB or @FrenchYumMummy of PBAU. Ah, the joy of waiting in a car...You see, in London, you would have waited AND it would have been real traffic...
ReplyDeleteWhat terrific examples of utter frustration. However, this last one sounds like you had a panic attack and so all good sense - indeed, sense of reality - deserted you. That awful rage that bubbles up inside you and boils over can be a sign can obliterate reality. Also, in a way, you may have set yourself up to make this crazy mistake. Never to happen again.
ReplyDelete