RFDA

     I can’t figure out why but my mind has absolutely no control over what my right foot does. I can send a message from my mind telling any other part of my body what to do and it will follow instructions obediently but my right foot ignores me. I have known this for years of course, but it happened again today so I thought a good confession might help.
     I was driving to the post office to mail a letter. Along the way there is a particular stretch of road where it is common for those in the left lane to suddenly realize they must get over to the right lane to make an upcoming right hand turn on to a major street. Those of us who live in the area and are alert are already in that right hand lane prepared for the turn.
     As several of us in a row approached the turn a car came up alongside poised to cut in front of me. Now, being the safe driver I am, I had allowed a reasonable amount of distance between me and the car in front of me. I say reasonable because it was a safe distance to follow another car at the speed we were going. If another car pulled between us it would no longer be reasonable.
     I have always told myself “What is another car length in the grand scheme of things?” Just ease off the throttle a little bit and allow the lurking driver to move over in front of me. It is probably an elderly person, on their way to church, who would appreciate the gesture and wave “thank you” as they merged. It would be the right thing to do.
     My brain sends a message to my right foot to ease up. But noooooo. It had other ideas. It immediately mashed on the pedal, hurling my car forward so the gap narrowed between me and the car ahead, not allowing the other car to pull between us. My right foot had taken the attitude this was some punk kid trying to cut in line and no way in hell that was going to happen.
     As I was now window to window with the lurking car and ashamed of what my right foot had done, I looked to the right as though I was checking my right side mirror, in order to avoid eye contact. I was ashamed of myself as the other driver was forced to drive straight ahead and miss their turn.
     Maybe I need counseling. This is a problem that has plagued me for quite some time. Surely there are others with the same problem. Maybe I could start a support group called RFDA (Right Foot Dominant Anonymous).