I’ll always remember the first day I drove to work after moving to SLO. As I made my way down a road, aptly named, Tank Farm, I gazed toward the airport and appreciated the herd of cows grazing not far from the runway. Upon reflection that seems a bit concerning… I’m sure there’s a fence. Probably. In any case, it was an idyllic contrast compared to the Cupertino parking lot of my previous life.
It was a bit like the time I got onto our one freeway in the early evening as it had just gotten dark. As I merged onto the roadway I checked my left mirror and all I saw was darkness. Pitch black. A few moments of panic… am I on an offramp? Where am I?… Oh yeah, I’m in a beautiful small town where the cars don’t pave the roadways.
A few Sundays ago I was headed home from the grocery store, waiting at a traffic light to get onto that same freeway. The light turns green. We’re still stopped. I see a big white F150 truck waiting at the beginning of the onramp. Impatience rumbles.
What’s the deal? Why aren’t we driving??…
And then I see it. Crossing a four lane freeway overpass and then a one lane onramp… a mommy duck and her dozen baby cotton balls. They hurry across in a little line and then flutter into a patch of grass near the Hampton Inn.
A good reminder to slow down and drink it in.