It was a normal commute.  Two lanes of traffic toddling along.  Nothing to disrupt the flow.  Just people going about their business.

Then suddenly, the large truck two cars in front of me turned on some flashy warning lights.  Okay, but not entirely expected.  Then it began to slow down.  Expected.  Then it began spraying water at the median.  What?!?  Is that even a thing?  Completely unexpected.

Then began the dance, the “Can I please move over into your lane?” dance began.  What was worse were the cars in back of me who would move over and then cut off the rest of us slugs who had our blinkers on, but were suddenly invisible.

I waited my turn.  I was patient, honest, but enough is enough.  I saw a slight opening.  My turn.  I just need the other car to show a sign of slowing.  I waited a second.  Nothing…  they were not going to let me in.  They were leaving enough space to tease me, but not enough for safe entry.  What was I?  Invisible?  Less worthy than them?  A car that deserved to be left behind the weirdly spraying truck?

I felt insulted.  Somewhat hurt.  Ready to finally assert myself.  I was a human, after all.  I had rights.  No one should have to crawl along behind Mister Sprinkles the Truck.  I made my move.

Blinker on, I merged.  Oh, they would know I was there.  The space was big enough for my car.  Was their heart open to my presence?

Strange, but having an SUV assert itself gets you noticed.  Magically, there was room now for my car.  I was no longer invisible.  I was somebody.  Sure, I was sort of a jerk, but at least I was now a jerk with a backbone.  A jerk with a backbone, who was newly liberated from the mysteries of a spraying truck.