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This Is How I Know My Wife Is a Better Person Than I Am

The ‘Tire Spike Strip’ Philosophy

Jeffrey Pillow
Thought Thinkers
8 min readFeb 16, 2024

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A pencil sketch drawing of a man wearing a hat with a speech bubble next to him that says, “I’m having vengeful thoughts.” Beside the man is his wife with a speech bubble that says in response, “Is it about tire spike strips again?”
Left to right: Not Better Half and Better Half. Pencil sketch by Jeffrey Pillow

My wife is a better person than I am. An overall better human being. I know this because about a month ago, we were wrapping up a family walk on Christmas Eve when a black minivan appeared, blasting through a stop sign the driver seemed to believe was suggestion-only.

My wife and daughter had safely crossed the road while my son and I were slightly behind and still in the process of crossing. Upon seeing us, you’d think the driver would slow down. You’d think wrong. Plus, I think you know where this essay is going. The driver sped up. I told my son to hurry and cross the road.

As I made my way onto the shoulder, the driver flew by me, inches away, and glared in my direction as if to say, “What are you doing crossing the road while I’m driving on it? This road was designed for me and only me.”

I met the driver’s eye contact and held it so they’d remember my face for all eternity.

Like many people who understand you can’t let every little thing in the world bother you on a daily basis, I shrug off the majority of irksome happenings. As a parent, however, that’s a different story altogether. If you do something I feel is endangering my child’s safety, Houston, we have a problem.

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Thought Thinkers
Thought Thinkers

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Jeffrey Pillow
Jeffrey Pillow

Written by Jeffrey Pillow

Personal essays about every day life with a touch of humor and nostalgia. Author of The Lady Next Door. Website: jeffreypillow.com

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