Since moving to West Virginia from South Carolina, we have made the trip back south many times. It seems there is always something that comes up to draw us back. I really do not mind the travel. My family has almost always had to drive many miles every day just for work or school. So a 4-to-5-hour drive is not that bad to us. It gives me good think-time! And I really enjoy that.

Driving on the road gives one a good look at humanity with all of its flaws. We approached a spot on the interstate where construction was in progress. Now the signs were posted well in advance: “Left Lane Closed Ahead.” You could see the lanes closing together for about half a mile. The orange and white barrels were strung along like a string of imitation jewels on a cheap necklace. I hate the sight!

At the last moment, an inconsiderate driver came boiling up along the left side of us with only 100 yards of road before we were to merge into one lane. I could not believe it! He pulled up beside the van in front of us as though to force it to slow down and let him in front. But the van did not do so. The inconsiderate driver slammed the brake and squeezed between us and the van.

I looked in the rearview mirror and noted that there was not another vehicle for as far as I could see. I looked ahead and saw that there was a line of vehicles for as far as I could see. And the inconsiderate driver followed the van for the next few miles. The near accident that would have slowed traffic down to a stop was just so that the inconsiderate driver could get one spot ahead in the line vehicles.

My point? Isn’t that just like the animal we call humans? “I am important, and you are not!”

Well, incidents such as this make me very appreciative when I meet the rare individual who lives his life with the attitude, “You are important, and I am not!”

Chas.
8/1/07