What I Saw On My Drive To Work This Morning
by Sandi Roughton
(I hope everyone in the class applauds me for this)
I pulled up to my first intersection, just as the light was turning red, so I had time to sit and take in my surroundings. Lately these surroundings are partially blocked by a giant truck of some sort, as there is construction going on in the same direction that I travel. Fortunately for this morning, however, the truck was on my right side, and on my left side was what I thought was an unfortunately shaped blonde child (what is it with me and mistaking random things for kids?). It turns out it was a dog of some kind wearing a giant, blue t-shirt. It was far enough away, and had such a long neck, that I was able to imagine, for a few seconds (it got a green light, so it got to go first), that it was some sort of dog/velociraptor creature. Wearing a giant, blue shirt. It was very exciting.
THEN, after I went through my second intersection, I was stopped abruptly by the aforementioned construction. Do you know why we were stopped? It scared the living daylights out of me. They'd blocked off one lane of the road because the construction workers were lined up, pounding really long spikes into the road. Like, one man was holding the spike while another man swung a sledgehammer in the general vicinity of the guy holding the spike.
It reminded me of that scene from "Tall Tale" where O Henry and the railroad spike pounding machine have a competition to see who can write the most depressing Christmas story. I mean, wait. It reminded me of that scene from "Tall Tale" where John Henry and the railroad spike pounding machine have a competition to see who can do the job better.
(at 1:05 please)
I still fear for that kid's life every time I watch that part (can someone please explain to me how Mr. Henry lost when he hammered more spikes than the machine?).
Moving on, at about my fourth intersection, I saw the annual migration of the high school cross country team. Let me 'splain. There was a large group of boys, a cross country team if you will, that were out running. The first half was running like a bunch of normal people, but then the half that was running about 20 feet behind them, were flapping their arms while they ran. To each their own, I guess? I could really jump on the kind of exercise band wagon where people pretend they're birds while they run.
After I saw the flock of teenagers, I thought to myself "Hey! I haven't seen the denim shirt guy yet!"
So, ever since the first of the year, I can't keep from noticing a certain guy that runs down Vista Ridge Lane every morning as I drive to work. He wears khaki shorts and a denim shirt with some sort of company logo on the left side. The first time I saw him I couldn't help but think what an uncomfortable ensemble that must be to exercise in. But then I told myself that I was the shmuck driving in a car, while he was out there being more healthy by using his own two legs, so it was one of those awkward moments when I say to my brain "touche."
And right after I wondered where he was this morning, there he was! Running in a different direction than he normally does around 9:30 in the AM. So strange. I wonder if he changed his schedule without telling me?
In conclusion, there are many interesting dogs and things to see when driving around Cedar Park, Texas between 9 and 9:30 on a weekday morning.
Extra credit:
The more I watch "Up" (and I've watched it a lot since Maggie got it for Christmas...), the more I can't help but think that if Pete had a talking collar, he'd probably sound a lot like Dug.
You know?