Animosity Builds After Slug Jumps Line

SLUG TALES

I have an enemy in the slug line. And the thing is, he doesn’t even know it.

Or maybe he does.

You see, he wasn’t always my enemy. In fact, we used to be quite friendly to each other. I don’t even know my enemy’s name, as is generally the case with my people I “know” from the slug line.

Since I’m usually there in line around the same time every day, I tend to see a lot of the same faces. We end up talking in the line and sometimes making conversation in the car, too, depending on how talkative the driver might be.

My enemy and I run into each other a lot. He always says good morning, and has always made small talk. He knows that my dad sells cars at Karen Radley in Woodbridge, and said that he was going to see him about buying a Volkswagen. Since I never learned his name, I’m not sure if he ever did.

Once, I ran into him and his little boys in Costco. I may not know his name, but he was my buddy.

One day, that all changed.

We were standing in line at the Horner Road commuter lot and it was a rough day for us slugs. I had been standing for quite a while, waiting patiently for a ride that never seemed to be coming. As it got dangerously close to 9 a.m., when the HOV restrictions are lifted and picking up slugs no longer benefits drivers, I started to worry.

Then, my buddy arrived. I complained to him that I had been waiting for so long, and no one had been stopping to pick up slugs that day. He told me not to worry, someone would stop. I wasn’t so sure. There was a slug or two ahead of me, so we weren’t even next in line. It didn’t look good.

Soon enough, a car pulled up, and its driver rolled down the window to ask where we were headed.

“L’Enfant,” we told him, our voices hopeful.

“Hmmm, I can drop off in Crystal City,” he offered.

The two slugs ahead of me decided to accept the ride, and got into the front and back seat. At the same time, my buddy called out to ask if the driver would take a third rider.

How nice it was for him to look out for me, I thought. Sure, we could have waited for another driver to come along, but he wanted to make sure I wasn’t left standing. What a good friend!

But to my surprise, when the driver agreed to take another rider, my “friend” jumped in! I was ahead of him in line – I had been waiting much longer, and it was my turn! If the driver was willing to take a third passenger, it should have been me! Before I could object, he was in the car, and they were off. And all I could do was stand there, dumbfounded.

I had been betrayed.

Eventually, I think I ended up taking the bus or driving myself to work – either way, a huge inconvenience, and I couldn’t help but blame my friend. No, he wasn’t my friend at all. He was only out for himself. I was shocked and bitter.

Since then, I haven’t been as friendly when I see him in the slug line. I see him differently now, and although I’m still civil and say hello back, I can’t help but hold a grudge on the inside. Since then, the cheerful chatter has ceased to exist between us. My friend has now become my enemy.

For a while, I thought, maybe that’s just the nature of the beast – every slug for him or herself out there. It’s a slug eat slug world… Or something like that.

But really, it’s not. I’ve looked out for fellow slugs, picking up desperate people left waiting after the HOV restrictions are lifted, because I’ve been in that very situation myself. Likewise, my late morning slug friends have offered rides when they see me walking to or standing in line – they never leave me hanging. I like to think we all look out for each other, at least for the most part. What goes around comes around, right?

I’ve never had the guts to come out and tell this guy how upset he made me that day, and really, I don’t know whether or not he’d care. Probably not… So until I get the nerve to tell him he shouldn’t have jumped ahead of me in line, I guess I have an enemy in the slug line.

Oh, well. At least I have plenty of other friends who do look out for me. I even know some of their names!