I hate driving on the freeways

No distractions one could call worthwhile

Just cell phone criminals

Cal-Trans workers, skid marks, and carpool swimmers

These days,

I tend to drive in the slow lane no matter what my speed

Which my mother , when with me hates

I guess it is because subconsciously

I want to exit the freeway

As soon as possible

Like body language signals when you cross your legs

Facing towards the exit supposedly signifies being uncomfortable

and wanting to quickly leave

Freeways represent everything that is cancer in our society

Instant gratification;

or as close to it as is possible

Not enough hours in a day

and too many people with hopeless, hateful expressions and hypertension

I hate freeways because it brings out the worse in people

The proverbial power trippers

and the control freaks

the kings of the road

and the blissfully oblivious

Having two people in the car   doesn’t oblige one to occupy the diamond lane

and being in the diamond lane

doesn’t give one license to claim it as theirs exclusively

What ever happened to stopping and smelling the flowers?

There are rarely flowers on California freeways

Only graffiti, carbon monoxide, orange trash bags and easy care succulent plants

That having been touched on

I appreciate that we all are challenged by time constraints

and work related complaints if we are behind the proverbial 8ball

Still,

Why can’t we take “the road less traveled” whenever possible?

Enjoying the scenery

and lowered blood pressure

Amaze yourself at what you learn about your community

Eateries and architecture

and alternate routes to all places relative

Getting lost can be a way to find new trails to day in day out destinations

Surprise revelations and elating epiphanies

We all fall short of our fair share of serendipity

So instead of laboring needlessly and routinely along the 405, 5, 10 and 91

Pop in an audio book of Robert Frost and investigate that road you have always wondered about

or take the streets to work for a change

©2010  J. K. Bradford