On freeways in eastern Tennessee,
traffic resembles vehicular Russian
roulette that moves faster than any 
speeding bullet.

Speed demons veer, swerve
into another lane with no warning,
play chicken with tailgating,
drive at speeds that are suicidal 
with cavalier disregard for life
and limb.  

In contrast, narrow, winding byways,
and little traveled back roads offer 
a semblance of sane speed while
cooler heads prevail. After a long 
nerve-racking afternoon of freeway 
frenzy, I detoured onto a lightly 
traveled road.

Calm driver mode replaced on-guard
mental state. At a relaxed speed, I saw
creatures in the road ahead. Slowing to 
a crawl, I glimpsed two baby raccoons on
the yellow center stripe. This small duo 
appeared confused and stressed with no
mother raccooon in sight. 

A driver approached from another 
direction. This car stopped when 
they saw the small pair. Cars began 
to line both lanes while the raccoons
stumbled about like small clodhoppers.

Both lanes waited patiently for these kits
to leave the roadway. This impasse ended 
when a lady left her car and performed a 
little jig with wild hand motions. She
shooed the pair onto grass off the road.

This kerfuffle ended without conflict.
No brakes slammed, no horns honked, 
no weapons were drawn or fired, and
no insults were hurled.