News-Record.com

My 4-year-old's Christmas list includes a dog that can live in the desert and eat scorpions. If anyone can point me to the best breed, or a Triad area scorpion breeder, you'd make at least one of us happy.

We arrived at roughly the same time, each sizing the other up. Amidst the holiday rush of shoppers in the parking lot of a big box retailer in Greensboro, we were at a crossroads: The dreaded four-way stop. Do I go first, or last, or somewhere in between?

After waiting, and waiting, and waiting, I did what any northerner would do: Squinted my eyes, hit the gas and made that left turn. I got out alive.

For all you holiday shoppers out there, don't do what I did. Instead, check out our handy guide to navigating the four-way stop so you can be better prepared.