Rush hour

In the mass of cars, creeping along in our assigned paths, the dark man in the SUV was determined to take over my spot. I was equally determined not to cede any territory.

Hidden by sunglasses, I looked at his angry face in my rear-view mirror. He held his hands to his face and waggled his fingers at me. It was, clearly, a schoolyard jinx. In case I hadn't gotten the message, he did it again.

Far from feeling threatened or annoyed, his odd curse elated me. I laughed for the first time all day.