Pet Peeves

First of all... SOUL PATROL, baby! :)

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We all have them...those things that drives us bonkers or make us want to climb under the covers and hide. Whistling inside a car or saying "anyways" are a few of mine. Perhaps these bother you as well, or maybe not. After all, they are my pet peeves. But I'm sure you have a few of your own.

A bit of history on the phrase: "Peeve" comes from the 14th-century word pevish, meaning ornery or ill-tempered. The first time "pet peeve" was used in print was 1911, meaning a minor annoyance that can instill extreme frustration in a person. You're telling me! :)

After grocery shopping this morning at the local Wal-Mart, I returned to my vehicle to unload my basket full of various produce and goods. In the empty car stall next to mine, a lone cart sat, just waiting for a gusty Kansas wind to flail it into the black Ford Explorer downwind. Being a good citizen, I returned it to the appropriate stall along with mine.

As I exited the parking lot, ready to turn down a steep hill, I idled behind a beige indiscriminate SUV, when out of nowhere a flying, blue, plastic basket barrelled its way down the busy intersection. Vehicles dogded left and right, running and gunning to narrowly avoid the path of destruction coursed by the runaway Wal-Mart cart. After several tense seconds of praying the cart wouldn't stray toward me...it finally came to rest against a curb.

If I hadn't spent those precious seconds putting away the first cart, I would have been in the direct line of fire of that torpedo.

I have a new pet peeve. What are yours?