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Driving home from work on a rainy Friday evening, I approached a few cars queued at a red light. We all worked to get as close to each other as possible so we could anticipate the green. Stop, go. A horn honk came from my left. Go. Stop. When I checked my mirrors, a minivan’s passenger window slid up. Ford Windstar. I don’t know anybody who drives a Windstar. Still, it could have been someone from work.

When the light turned green, my tires joined in the steady splash chorus of my fellow commuters. The Windstar coming up on my left, I sneaked a sideways glance. I didn’t recognize the lady driving.

I laughed at myself for assuming that of the approximately 15 cars around me, I knew exactly which vehicle had honked, and that it was directed toward me. It’s funny how personally I take horn honks. It’s like my brain flips the alert switch. Oh no, what did I do? I think as my eyes follow the imaginary triangle connecting my mirrors. Because, when in the car, the last thing I want to do is make someone mad.

A smile spread across my face when I pressed the garage door remote button. We had put Christmas decorations back into the attic just in time to make room before the spring rains started. Then I frowned. Too bad we couldn’t have done it before all those days of frost on my windshield.

I carefully edged the nose of the car toward the family heirloom dresser/vanity sitting against the back wall. As usual, I tried to gauge my stopping point by the width of my headlight reflection. A few days before I misjudged and the garage door scraped the back bumper as it closed. I really need to hang that golf ball again.

My laptop bag on my shoulder and my camera bag in my hand (never know when I might need to capture an image for a cupdate), I climbed up out of the Sebring and stood.

Something caught my eye.

I turned and saw that the gas cap door was open, the cap itself dangling by its plastic tether.

The lady probably had honked at me, after all, and had slid her window down in the rain to tell me I had forgot something. Whereever you are, lady, thank you.