To Flip Off or Wave

Life is...To Flip Off or Wave

I was driving into town with Rachel and David. We merged from one road to another. The road has a merge lane, and in six years of driving I have only slowed down once to merge. But today I had to slam on my brakes, because the person in front of me was stopped - a dead stop - not moving - no cars coming. After a few seconds I decided to honk my horn. I wasn't sure if she was day dreaming or checking her phone. I meant it as a friendly honk, a 'Hey wake up' honk, but of course a horn honk is a horn honk.

Well, she did not take that honk well. She flipped me off and started driving. I was surprised by her gesture but tried to shake it off. As we were driving she decided one time flipping me off wasn't enough, so she did it again. My five-year-old saw it and asked what she was doing.

"She's just mad at me I said, but don't ever do that. It's not nice." 

Just a few miles down, the road turns from 2 lanes to 4 lanes. She gets into the left lane and starts accelerating and passing the other cars. Then she changes her mind, steps on the brake and goes so slow that she gets back in front of me in the right land, and then brings her speed WAY down, so far down that I realize she wants me to pass her.

And I want to. 
I'm just not sure what she is going to do. 
What is the point of this? 
Is she going to run my car off the road? 

After a little deliberation I decide to pass and get this weird scenario over with. I pass, and she just stares and flips me off for the 3rd time - holding her middle finger up the entire time. 

I have a split second choice to make. I knew I wasn't going to flip her off, but should I just ignore her? 

I decided to smile and wave. 

I don't know if that was the right decision, but I wanted to let her know, 
Yes, I see you & No, I'm not going to get mad. 

David asked, "Why is she doing that if it's mean?"

I wanted to say...
It's the world we live in.
People are crazy.
People are mean.
What is this world coming to?

It has been a while since that drive, and I can't stop thinking about that woman. But instead of thinking negatively about her and how could she do that? I have decided to pray for her. 

Clearly something was going on besides my horn honk. 
Maybe her kids were all screaming in the car.
Maybe she just received a diagnosis. 
Maybe she was just fired.
Maybe....

For myself, though I didn't mean to be rude by honking my horn, it was obviously misinterpreted. Maybe I'll use my horn even less.

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