And You Know That Notion Just Crossed My Mind

Like most mornings, 6:25 a.m. is still not early enough to avoid rush hour traffic around Philadelphia.  But on this last day of September, at least, it is early enough to avoid sun glare.  So, I-95 northbound traffic into Philly moves at a steady pace.  The usual road rage-ready  racers find enough car-length spaces between vehicles to hone their aggressive lane weaving skills.  One car length for every 10 miles per hour?   You’ll have seven of them cut in front of you all at once at 70 MPH!  At least the all-night truckers are too tired to worry about playing such games.

KYW1060’s “on-the 2s” traffic report never mentions problems along my route.  So, no need for improvising an alternative.   And, the news of all those poor suckers stuck behind that accident on the Blue Route make me feel selfishly satisfied about my lot in life.

Once through Philly and on the Jersey side of the Delaware, I can finally turn on the iPod and listen to the same songs I’ve been listening to since I installed an 8-track in my Chevy Vega back in 1971 – The Thrill of it All, In the Land of Grey and Pink, Hot Smoke and Sassafras, Bouree, 20^th Century Schizoid Man, Harry Rag, Starship Trooper, Old John Robertson.

I am 19 again, headed to my job as a maintenance man at RCA, and my only worry is the wisp of smoke either seeping out from the Vega’s warped aluminum engine or that tiny Fiat in front of me.

There’s “trouble ahead, trouble behind,” sings Jerry Garcia in “Casey Jones.” So, you’ve got to take pleasure in the little things for the short periods of time in between.

I arrived at work today at 7:20 a.m., and I lingered a few seconds just to hear the fade-out of one final song.  Who knows what’s in store on this last day in September, but there’s a good chance things don’t get better.  I’m savoring the break.  “And, you know that notion just crossed my mind.”