Turn off the *Bleeping* Headlights

 

The other day, I came to a stop at a red light. My eye was drawn to a hand with a cigarette dangling out of the window. I suppose it caught my attention because it was really cold out.   Anyway, my gaze then shifted to a white strip on the dash behind the steering wheel. After blinking a few times, the words came into focus: Turn off the *bleeping* headlights.

Since this is a G-rated blog, I’ll leave the choice word to your imagination. The light turned green and we were both on our way, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the note. I mean, it wasn’t slapped up hastily on a yellow Post-it note. It was printed with a label makers. A label maker! I could almost see the woman, fury in her red cheeks, as she squeezed out each letter. (Do people still have to squeeze out letters on label makers?) Now, that takes serious effort.

My mind continued to process the note.  Doesn’t the Toyota Yaris have automatic lights? When was the last time I ever had to actually turn my vehicle’s headlights on–or *bleeping* off?  Then I wondered who the message was for and why. Had she allowed her daughter to borrow the car and the next morning, when the driver left for work, the battery was dead? Really annoyed–instead of calling AAA–had she whipped out her label maker determined this would never happen again?

Doesn’t she realize this note is visible to everyone passing by? Does she care? Did my daughter see it?

Then I wondered if the note was for meant for the driver? Had her husband left it? I hope not. Or maybe she left it for herself as a gentle reminder to turn out the lights. Nah, seems kind of drastic.

Hmm? I don’t know. But it got me thinking. Maybe I’ll work it into a story someday.

Have you ever shook your head at something wishing you knew why? Or is it the curse of a writer?

More than words…and wilted flowers

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day.  I’ve never been partial to gifts like chocolates or flowers. Maybe it stems from my high school days when on Valentine’s Day flowers would be delivered to the school and the names of the recipients would be announced at lunch. Bummer for all the girls who never got a flower.  I’m not naming names or anything. 🙂

To this day, I prefer more practical gifts.

• Nothing makes me feel the love more than when my hubby fills up the gas tank.  Ah, another couple hundred miles before I have to stand in the freezing cold, hair whipping around my head, while I watch the numbers climb higher…and higher.
• Dinner. No, I’m not talking about a fancy dinner out. I’m talking about dinner at home. Any dinner. It could be fish sticks and corn or steak on the grill. Any day I don’t have to think about and prepare dinner is a day I feel the love.
• I love when my hubby volunteers to pick up one of the kids when I was supposed to do it. I might be huddled under a blanket reading a book or writing, but there’s nothing sweeter than my hubby saying, “You stay home, I’ll get them.” Ah….
• My favorite gifts from my kids are handwritten notes and drawings telling me how much they love me. I am going to save them and pull them out when they are teens and remind them that yes, I was once “The World’s Best Mother.”

So, are you a flowers and chocolate kind of person? Or do you like more practical gifts? Either way, I hope everyone felt loved on Valentine’s Day.