I am sitting in a line of traffic on the Kilkenny Road. Construction up ahead. We all sit in our cars in a neat little straight line as somewhere ahead a temporary stoplight lets a few of us slip through and onto our journeys. Must be 50 cars ahead of me. I am in no hurry though, so I let my mind wander as I put the car in first gear, move 10 meters, then stop, put the car in neutral and rest my foot on the brake, over and over.

I can see the car in front of me, the car behind me, and left and right which overlooks the new roadwork efforts, some temporary signs, newly built stone walls in front of homes along the road, and bits of construction equipment, but no workers. The car behind me is a 2005 silver Renault Megan. Looks in good shape. But before I even noticed the car, I noticed the driver, a woman. I only looked in my mirror for a second. I didn’t want to alarm her. You know, here she is stuck in traffic, unable to escape and being stalked by a male driver in front of her. At least that’s what I thought she’d think if she caught me looking in my mirror at her. I thought that she was likely a very nice mother of three small children who finally got some alone time and was on her way into Kilkenny to run a few errands. On her way to just being an adult and not all tied up with domestic chores, dirty diapers, a sweet but messy husband, and a house that never seems to let her rest. Finally, she gets some quiet time and here I show up stalking her.  (more…)