Holiday Cheer, Part I

The day before Christmas is busy as people scour the stores for last minute gifts, get cards and packages out to distant loved ones, and motor along to their family gatherings. On this morning, Helen and I are headed to Home Depot to pick up some cedar 2 x 4's and screws because our wonderful and handy neighbor Jim is helping us fix our gate.

So my anxiety level rises a notch or two as Helen and I approach a very busy intersection in Issaquah and notice abnormally long lines of cars on all sides. Turns out the traffic light is out on this busy intersection, on one of the busiest traffic days of the year. I'm talking about an intersection with 4 lanes each way plus left turn lanes - a major piece of roadway that serves as an access to I-90 as well as Costco, two malls, and a major access up to the Plateau. There had to be 3 lanes of traffic (including turn lanes) ten cars deep on all sides.

As I ease the Subaru into the meat of the congestion, I'm imagining the worse. I steel myself in preparation for screeching tires, blaring horns, quick swerving maneuvers, flaring tempers and a distinct lack of "good will toward men."

What transpired over the next 5-10 minutes once again confirmed why Helen and I love living here. We watched and participated in an intricate vehicular ballet bred of that special etiquette and common understanding that folks around here take for granted. As each car got to the front of their respective lanes, they stopped, allowed those that had the right of way to proceed, then took their turn. Not a horn was heard, and although it took a little longer than normal without the help of advanced electronics, traffic kept moving. People made their way to Fred Meyer for that forgotten can of cranberry sauce, or onto I-90 to grandma's house.

Maybe after a few more years here, we'll take this kind of stuff for granted too, but I sure hope we don't. I know from experience how a situation like this would play out in New York, and let me tell ya...it wouldn't be like it did this Christmas Eve. As we drove through the intersection I had a flashback of our trip to the Big Apple over the July 4th holiday. I still remember one balmy night when a group of us were strolling along Broadway after a terrific dinner. As we're making our way through the crosswalk, a pimped out GMC truck blasting hip-hop started "rolling" on us - that is - the driver purposely releases his hold on the brake and rolls the vehicle toward us. This is a game of intimidation that's played in big cities like New York, usually by young males with overly abundant levels of alcohol and testosterone and critical shortages of brain cells. This guy came within 6 inches as I glared at him. It's not the first time this has happened - in fact, I've been back to New York twice this year, and I've been the victim of this game each time. Like I said, it's a game - a dumb game played by dumb f**ks.

Anyway, I digress. Didn't want this story to end on such a sour note, because it really was a wonder watching the display of civility this morning. It's worth the exercise of contrasting how bad things could be to make us all appreciate how good things are. Hopefully, it tempers us to have more patience, be more aware of others, and helps us through those little snags of daily frustration. Happy holidays everyone...and good will toward men (and women).