Welcome to New Hampshire!

A week ago I was in New England driving my rental car up route 93.It was early morning. The sun had just come up and Krista sat beside me snoozing lightly while Tucker sat quietly behind me. I have no idea what was going on in their minds but I was excited to get up to the north country of New Hampshire to cross country ski into Zealand Hut.

I had the rental SUV on cruise control as we wound our way around the hills of southern New Hampshire. We were in a loose caravan by our friends in two other cars loaded up with skis and backpacks. I just kept pace with them at about 70 mph.

There is a point in route 93 where the two lane road merges with another two lane road creating a four lane road which then splits up again into two lane roads. We're zipping along that section of road near Manchester, New Hampshire when I find myself side by side with a lone woman in a car.

She was on my left and I glanced over. She reached across to the passenger side fully extending her right arm and raising her middle finger at me. She didn't look at me but stared straight ahead. She held her arm and hand firm and still. No shaking and no wavering. Her middle finger was just standing there like a statue on one of any of New England's many commons.

I wasn't sure what to do. I slowed slightly to let her go by but by coincidence so did she.

Finally, I accelerated ahead and she pulled in behind me. Through my rear view mirror I saw her lean forward in her seat and raise her middle finger right up against the front windshield. She shook it this time back and forth. The anger in her face was there but not expressive.

She pulled to the right and from two lanes away, she switched hands on the steering wheel lifted her left hand and gave me the middle finger again. Her face was hard and mean and staring straight ahead.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and remembered the date, March 5th - My birthday.

I thought "Happy Birthday and ... Welcome to New Hampshire!"