IT'S NOT ROAD RAGE

It's not road rage. Call it
intense irritation. It happens
when I look in the rear view
mirror and see a tail-gater
on my tail, so close I can
read intense impatience written
on the driver's face. I check
my speed. I see I'm moving
fast enough, right at the posted
limit or even some above.

Here is my temptation -- to slow
down, slow down even more.
I'll teach him (or her)
a lesson is my thought.
And sometimes -- I confess it --
I do exactly that. But other times
I fantasize: I hit the brakes
real hard, The guy behind me
rams my rear, is clearly
in the wrong, will have to pay
a fine, bear the cost of all repairs,
and pay my whiplash bills
for therapy, months of it.

I know, I know. This is crazy talk.
It isn't, as I said, road rage.
But it's getting pretty close.