spoiling for a fight

this afternoon was stressful. i got held up quite late at work finishing a project and was obsessing about being late to pick up the girls. ultimately, that resulted in my not doing the work properly.

i was angry and that tends to make me drive more aggressively, but i did nothing to deserve others' rage.

i was zooming down the freeway, which provided plenty of opportunities to zig and zag, and as i approached a green jeep, i noticed the driver had his hand out the window. as i pulled even he flipped me off. i think it was for me, there wasn't anyone else around, really, but i don't know why. passing him was the first interaction i'd had with him. it's not like we had been dodging each other along the road. i didn't cut him off, i didn't blow his doors off. i'm stumped.

his hand being out already makes me think either a) he thought i was someone else--there are a LOT of silver escapes on the road, or b) he was just waiting for anyone to flip off.

a little later down the road, he pulled up and passed me along my left. as he did so, he gave me the look--you know the one--the one that says, "why did they allow you behind a wheel? you blithering idiot, you're barely capable of breathing on your own."

was i mistaken or did his look change to: "oh, that's not who i thought it was."

no, apparently it did not because even later, i passed him as he was exiting and he gave me the look again. "how dare i pass him twice?!"

i honestly have no idea what i could have done to offend this guy. an amusing thought is that he just gets mad at people who speed (ok, i do have a lead foot, plus i was racing to pick up the girls, don't forget), but that is a delightfully ironic agenda for him considering he has a bumper sticker that reads: HAUL ASS.