Near Miss?

When we were contemplating our move to DC, I spent a lot of time reading the forums on "city-data" to get an idea of what neighborhood we wanted to live in. My husband works in Suitland, MD, just south of D.C., but the forums were overwhelming negative on living in the area. One query mentioned that friends had recommended he look into living in Suitland, and the response was, "Do these people like you?" Others had horror stories of high crime. One got the impression, that everyone was routinely robbed a gunpoint.

As I've driven through the neighborhoods, I've found they look just fine, not at all the ghetto I'd been picturing. Still, I was hesitant to patronize any establishment alone. Today, however I was running low on gas on my way to Graton's office, and figured I better stop and fill up. I nervously got out of my car, but reassured myself that everything looked safe. Audrey and Alyssa asked for water, so I busied myself with their requests, and looked up just in time to see a Uhaul coming straight at my car. My heart stopped as I feared a head-on collision, but then the driver of the U-haul, a young man, smiled and waved both arms reassuringly, as did his passenger.

I managed a half-smile. They must have come around the corner too quickly and not seen my car. No need for reprimand, everyone makes mistakes, and I was anxious they not feel anymore stress than they already must have experienced.

The U-haul pulled up to the pump in front of me, and the two young men got out to fill up. I smiled as I caught their eye, so they could be assured that I bore no ill will.

Their response sent me reeling. "Sorry, we was just playing. We didn't know you had kids."

"They did this on purpose!!"

Now I was angry, but was too stunned to respond.

As I continued on my way, I realized that although I hadn't been robbed at gunpoint, I had been a victim of a lesser-known crime:

Reckless Flirting