today...i almost killed a man...

I came down the stairs of my apartment and walked across the street to the '06 Suburban that Enterprise Rental is so graciously providing me at the expense of Victoria Insurance. As I was crossing the street, I noticed an older woman with a cane leaving one of the houses on the next block. It was obvious that she was heading to the bus stop to wait for the MARTA.

Being the compassionate individual that I can sometimes be, I could not pass this woman on the street without offering her a ride - to the train station, to her house, somewhere, anywhere - I just couldn't pass her by. As it turns out, she wanted to go downtown.

After letting her off near the Five Points MARTA station, I proceed east on Marietta Street to get on 75/85South. I HATE driving in this part of downtown because dodging jaywalkers is like playing a video game. As I was sitting at the light at Marietta and Peachtree (careful NOT to make any turns, because as it cost me a $105 fine last year to learn that the sign that says NO TURNS really means NO TURNS), a guy crossing the street was eating a Three Musketeers candy bar. It pissed me off to watch him throw the candy wrapper on the ground. I mean, for real, dude - couldn't you have just put the wrapper in your pocket until you passed by one of the 4,000 trash cans downtown? Oh well, I guess his thoughtlessness is just one of those things that gives the City of Atlanta street cleaners something to do.

Anyway, the light turns green and I began to proceed down Marietta (after not having turned at the NO TURN sign). I'm listening to Si-Man and them on 102.5 and smiling because all of the lights are green and if you're familiar with driving in downtown Atlanta, you KNOW that having all greens is a miracle that means that God is smiling on you. By this time, I have probably reached a speed of about 35 mph. Just as I move into the right lane near the Peachtree Center intersection, some guy just steps out into the damn intersection without even looking my way. As I swerved left to avoid hitting him, the sound of my squealing tires caught his attention and he jumped back up on the curb. I am thankful to God that there was no one in the left lane. OR...I would have wrecked Enterprise Rental's '06 Surburban...the one that I didn't buy the full coverage insurance for.

Lessons for the Day: No good deed goes unpunished. There are certifiable idiots just roaming the streets of downtown Atlanta. Near misses cause one hell of an adrenaline rush.

And a closing thought...I am thinking about how the scene would have been different if it would have been a hit and not a near miss. I wonder if people realize how one moment of inattention has the power to end and change lives.

I am also wondering if I can find that dude and sue him for the 13 seconds of extreme distress and resulting mental anguish that he caused me.