Sometimes, I find that I notice and spend time thinking about some pretty interesting things. Most of which are not really worth wasting time over, but I give them a temporary lease. Often, the lessees are observations I make about one mundane thing or another. I put those observances in a category I call, "D'ja ever notice...?"
For example - D'ja ever notice that Jeeps are a major cause of traffic aggravations? Morning traffic - easing along at a decent clip. One lane starts to become a good bit slower than the other. Dang! Go On! When you finally get the chance to change lanes and move around the pokies, the pokey lane leader is... a damn Jeep. Most often a Wrangler or a Rubicon, but even Grand Cherokees. Why? I've heard it's often because a Jeep, especially the off-road versions are hard to drive. Or maybe the drivers are just too self-absorbed to care about anyone else. I don't know. In all my years I've never driven a Jeep. Too tall to be comfortable.
And what's up with the damn ducks on Jeeps? Why would you want to leave and - more importantly - why would I want you to leave a duck on my vehicle? Maybe that why Jeeps drive so slowly: waiting for a duck. But... I digress.
D'ja ever notice how your foot is directly attached to your eyes? You are driving down the road in the flow of traffic; maybe a few MPH over the speed limit. There's a Police car sitting on the side of the road. When you see it, your foot automatically lifts off the gas pedal just a little. You don't hit the brakes - that would be foolish and attract attention. Just ease off a touch to drop down to just above the posted speed. And then keep checking that mirror to make sure he hasn't joined the flow.
D'ja ever notice how, when coming upon slowed traffic at an accident or some problem, men must slow down, turn down the music, and roll down the window to see better. It's 41º, 9 at night, drizzling rain, and you come upon an accident. Window down, music off, and slow down to figure it out... 'cause someone just might need your opinion of who is at fault.
D'ja ever notice how some of the simplest things can cause the level of dust build-up in your eyes to increase? I'm not sure when it happened that I became a "softy." These days I can get a little moist-eyed at some of the smallest things. Seeing the beaming pride of a parent whose child just won the "such-a-thing." The parent of an elementary school student who drew a crayon picture that was selected as 1st Place in the school competition. Standing tall, chest out, smiling as big as a planet while their child is presented with a coupon for a free pizza.
So many little things like these grab my notice and my feels these days. Maybe I notice them because I envy that parent's moment; or maybe because in our world right now, bad things are easy to spot, but special, seemingly small actions or events must be found. And it's those special, seemingly small actions or events that are what can help an old guy hold belief that maybe, just maybe the future will be in good hands.
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