School Pickup

What is it about school pick-up time that turns people into maniacs?

Today I took the truck to pick up my daughter. I pulled up to the front part of the waiting area and left room at the curb for people to be able to pull into and out of the alley there without too much trouble. A few minutes before the bell rings another vehicle comes and wedges itself in front of me. They get so close to my bumper that all I can see is their back window, and I can hear the flat line squeal of their backup alarm that should be telling them that they are too close. So now they are upon me with no room to spare and they are blocking the alley. Did I mention that the parking area on the other side of the alley is completely empty?

When it came time for the car to pull out and into the road, there was no indication that they were going to leave either, just a pull out into the lane. I guess the person that was driving there was at fault for trying to drive where this obviously very important person was leaving. 

This is the part where I sound like an old am yelling at the kids to get off of his lawn. When I started driving there were no reverse alarms, no light on the side mirror that told you there was a car there, my car did not slow down or brake on its own when I was too close to the car in front of me. People still drive like idiots, but there was no backing up so close to the car behind you because you have a camera. 

Remember the little wave you would give when someone let you in? I miss those, sometimes it feels like I am the only one who still gives them. As life gets more "convenient" we are losing some of the basic tenets of kindness and humanity. Leaving extra space so a car can get out isn't hard. And yes, I know it's no one's business where you are going, but a flick of the indicator could let them know you need to come over. Then maybe they will let you in, and you won't have to cut them off. Earth-Shattering. 

None of us are perfect, and we all mess up from time to time. But it's what we do most of the time that really matters. In all things.

Song of the day

Inspired by the topic of today let's go with Drive by The Cars (see what I did there?).

The song was released on July 23, 1984, as a part of the band's fifth album. Written by the lead singer of the band Ric Ocasek, and produced by Shania Twain's future ex-husband, this song went onto become the band's biggest song. 

The music video was typical '80s rock ballad stuff. It was directed by noted '80s actor Timothy Hutton, and starred supermodel Paulina Porizkova. Porizkova would later marry Ric Ocasek.