"hoppin' mad"

You know, I used to wonder what my mom was describing when she said she was 'hoppin' mad' about something, what was really her emotional state at the time.... But now that I've taken some time and gone back to re-read the blogs that I've posted over the past year or so, I realized that I have in fact experienced that 'Hopping Mad' feeling more than once, and most of the time it prompted an entry to this blog.

Although now as I think back, I realize that I missed a few tales of 'Hoppin' Mad"...

Like the one a couple of weeks ago at my favorite grocery store....

I drive a little yellow 1992 Geo Storm. A small car... a semi-sports car... that needs body work and a new muffler, but it runs...(Hey it was a trade of two non-running vehicles for one that runs, so who am I to complain!!)

Anyway, me and my little Storm had just dropped off my daughter to college and was stopping by to pick something up to take to lunch with me... or something... I can't rightly remember at the moment what brought me to the store... but I digress...

I come into the parking lot in my Storm and most people turn and look. I can't help it... it's loud... it needs a new muffler, but at over $100.00 for the part, I find I have other priorities (like food, insurance and necessary bills) before I worry with a hole in the 'sound suppressor' on my car.

A woman was just getting into her Escalade in the parking space in front of me and grimmaced at my car, annoyed with the noise as I soon found out... and being the sarcastic soul I am I gave her a grin and a shrug. (Heck, I figured she was grimmacing with that snobby grimace of 'how can you stand to show your face driving THAT?' look... )

and she says to me... "How can you drive that thing in good conscience with all the pollution it puts off?"

I stopped and stared at her open mouthed for about half a second before I flew mad.

"My catalytic converter works, thank you very much." I retored, not bothering to hide my ire.

"Doesn't sound like it. You must burn a lot of gas with no exhaust." she sneered.

I gave her the "oh please" look and shrugged. "Compared to your gas guzzling SUV, mine's a little sipper. I'll bet you don't get ten miles per gallon in that gas hog, do you?"

"I get 26, if it's any of your business." she replied opening her door. (She clearly didn't want to continue the argument now that she found someone that would fight back!)

I laughed... (literally out loud!! Guffawed if you will..)

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Given that you get 26 and probably have at least a 30 gallon tank, you run though about $100 bucks a week. (That was a statement, not a question... I know because I have a Chevy Tahoe too... lol... why do you think I drive the Storm??) I put $19.00 in mine and it lasts three weeks on a ten gallon tank. I get 40 miles per gallon. Now who do you think really does more damage to the environment? My sipper or your guzzler?" And I flounced off into the store hearing her slam her Escalade door behind me.

Yeah, I was hoppin mad then too... but not quite as much as with PETA (from my last blog), but at least this time I had a vent for my anger...

By the way... thanks mom... Now I know what hoppin' mad really means!

Retrospective in the mountains,

Lady Dragon