It's the holidays.

Other than double-ordering an item for Christmas, the Yuletide holiday shopping is moving along smoothly.  In fact, it's the smoothest it's been.  Save for a few little hiccups, which are mostly inconsequential.

I have a little bit of a rant.  I was going to the The Cheesecake Factory this evening, and of course, for the holidays, parking is full.  We eyeball a couple moving through the crowd and point the little car towards it, hoping for a parking spot.  When we get there, another car is on the other side.  As they pull out, I think, "The hell with it, I have been sharking for parking for like fifteen minutes" and snipe the spot of the couple we'd been watching.

At this point, another little red car begins to protest loudly with it's horn.

Now, I'm in the car with my mom, my sister-in-law, and a good friend of mine.  "Really?"  I ask, exasperated.  All this time, I'm talking out loud about how I had been watching the couple, amongst agreements from the peanut gallery all around me.

Dude gets out of his car.

Now, several thoughts run through my head.  I'm wearing prescription shades which are dark, a sweatshirt with Death on the front, skully earrings and a skully bracelet (which...well, no one really knows it's Death on my shirt...).  And I'm thinking, "Do I look thuggish enough?"

The guy sees me, is taller than me, and immediately starts yelling at me.

I can't even remember what he said.  I was getting flustered.  "I walked them watching...". "What?  What are you saying?" "I *watched* them *walking*...."  And now, he's yelling more and I'm starting to get pissed.  Finally, I cut him off.

"I'm not moving."

"You mean after all this," he yells loudly, "you're stealing my parking spot?   You're not going to move?"

"No.  I'm not.  Call the cops.  I don't care.  I'm not moving."

I really thought this guy was going to hit me.  Then finally he walks back, stares at the back of my car, then slams into his, leaving.

Now, I'm concerned that I've pissed this guy off and he's going to come back and key my car or slash my tires.  I'm shaking, I'm furious, but all I can do is quote an old friend as the people around me are talking about this guy.

"What a douchebag."

I can't help it.  I get angry.  I mean, it's a fucking parking spot.  Really???  You got out of the car to try and intimidate a car full of women to move a car because you want the parking spot?  But I'm concerned, and if I'm concerned, I know that my mother is close to having an apoplexy.

And I can't convey to her that today is going to be a good day.  Damnit.

She begins to obsess as we're walking towards the restaurant.  And I'm mad, but I figure that whatever happens will happen and I won't be able to do jack shit.  Karma would get his ass.  So finally, I kind of cut my mom off (which I try not to do) and convey it in the only way I can get her to understand it.

"Mom, it's okay.  God will take care of it."

She finally lets it drop.  We have our meal, some WONDERFUL dessert (tiramisu and strawberry shortcake and yes, cheesecake), and leave.  When we get to the car....there is a HPD cop car a few car spots over, engine running, and cop sitting inside.

All I can do is laugh.  The Universe works as it should.