Rants & Raves

RANT

The things you see when you haven't got a baseball bat...

On Monday I was wrapping up a tempo run when I pack of hoodlums sped toward me in their car, blaring their horn. When they were close enough to make eye contact, the punk in the passenger seat threw the remnants of his lunch out the window at me.

I'm not even sure how to describe how pissed off I was. I was close enough to home to call the police soon after the incident, but the cops did not find the car. The kids will get away with their prank, fluffing themselves up with pride for terrorizing a defenseless woman.

I don't like to think of myself as defenseless.

But on that day, in that situation, no other word fits. What was I going to do?

Chase them down?

Even on my best day, I couldn't keep up with a car traveling at 35 miles per hour. And if I could catch the car, what then? Remember, I wasn't running with a baseball bat, and pepper spray is hardly effective against plate glass windows and steel. Even calling the police felt vaguely useless.

The feeling of frustration I have at not being able to retaliate or defend myself is, by far, the worst part of the whole incident. (Luckily I was not physically hurt by the flying debris -- just suffered a case of wounded pride and had my faith in my neighbors shaken.)

What I want to do is get the perpetrators cited for littering and harassment. (Or, let's be honest, find their car parked in a dark parking lot and smash out the headlights.)

What will happen is...

...absolutely nothing.

And that's what makes me furious.


RAVE

After my misadventures on Monday, I needed a dose of relaxation. You know: good ol' fashioned brain candy.

A friend recommended the books in Deanna Raybourn's "Silent" mystery series featuring the character Lady Julia Gray.

Witty without requiring deep philosophical thought, Raybourn's historical murder mysteries are definite page-turners. I've been staying up way past my bedtime to read "just one more chapter." These books were the perfect antidote to my foul mood.

I started with Silent in the Grave and am working my way on to Silent in the Sanctuary.

Can't put 'em down.

(Speaking of which, it's time for me to stop blogging and go back to reading. Lady Julia Grey just got called back to London from her holiday in Italy... Must. Find. Out. What. Happens. Next.)


So, tell me, what are you ranting or raving about this week?
What book are you reading right now?