I posted a comment on Facebook about an encounter the previous day with a road jerk. For those of you who aren’t my “friend” on that site, here’s a bit of info: a driver was being a road-bully. He was doing his best to stop us passing him – speeding up, slowing down, quickly changing lanes to cut us off etc, while holding his hand out the window and giving us the finger. After several attempts to get past this person, we decided to back off and reach our destination a little slower.

I was kicking myself that my phone was back in our house, recharging. (I forgot that I could do that in the car!) In the end, I used my wallet/billfold, which is a  small black rectangular shape. I held it up to our windscreen as if I was taking a photo with my phone. I think he saw it and got the message because after that he resumed a normal speed and let other cars pass him. We chose not to push the point.

I said to the Old Boy, ‘What a sad little man. Is this the only way he can feel good about himself? What makes people act like this?’

After seeing reports on road rage, extreme racial bigotry (calling the cops on black kids who were mowing a neighbour’s lawn, for crying out loud), people throwing hissy fits in restaurants because the fish isn’t right etc, I’m concerned for the world. When did the jerks decide to get organised and to have their time in the sun? When did the memo go out that said: It’s now acceptable to throw a tantrum and be a bully?

I know they’ve always been around. I’ve been bullied a number of times in my life, and they weren’t all in my childhood! But, lately they seem to be coming out of the woodwork and running amok.

Then, last night, I watched the news update of what is happening in Thailand, with the teams (including some Aussies) trying to rescue some kids stuck inside a cave system. I, along with so many others, was thrilled that they’d been found and shattered that it was going to take a long time to get them out. And then, we were told that one of the rescuers – a Thai SEAL – had died down in the caves, while working on the rescue.

That man is a hero. That man decided to do something worthwhile with his life. I bet he never indulged himself with playing silly beggars on the road with the other drivers. I was grieved to hear of his death but, at the same time, deeply encouraged. Hearing about him, helped bring the world back into balance. Vale and Vaya Con Dios, sir!