Through The Looking Glass...or out the T Window

Whenever I ride the T I have a heightened awareness to my surroundings. Not from the "See Something, Say Something" messages constantly flashing at me or ringing over the loud speaker, but from my desire to understand people. People watching. Today I noticed some things. They mainly focus on one element: people will do as people will do. As we approached a stop I saw a man get into his SUV and light up, not a cigarette but a cigar. This struck me as odd. Cigars are normally reserved for celebrations, good times and a nice summer cookout. Smoking one while driving seemed out of place. As I contemplated what this guy must be like my eyes wandered to a woman dressed as though going on a hike but looking rather frail. She stood for multiple stops (like I was). The man to her side was sitting down, in his business suit, on his PDA, with his bag on the empty seat next to him. He did not offer. She did not ask. However, as soon as a seat further up became available she took it. And so began her conversation with a similarly aged woman regarding the disrespect of today's generation. He was too self-centered to offer and she was too proud to ask. I'm hoping to land somewhere in the middle...

People will do as people will do.

Running...with or without the scissors

So I've never been a runner. I joined track once. The end of that story. For something who doesn't run, however, I use the verb very frequently. I'm running on empty. Running on fumes. Running on coffee. I must be American, because America Runs on Dunkins. Here's the thing, running makes you tired. Today my friend was telling me about her run, all scheduled for tomorrow. Yesterday another friend chronicled her run with her boyfriend. The ideas seems nice, but I don't run. So what do I do? Replace the run- use what I need to get a "runner's high?". I'd like to start running on other things, maybe chocolate, dance and music? And I'd like the word run to stand-alone. People always talk about a "run in the park" or this or that. Let's just let life run people...

Skipping and Waiting in Lines

We've all been in a grocery store (insert: Target, department store, etc) line where we have run in for an item or two and as we get in line the person in front of us has purchased enough to feed a small country. This happens to me more often than not as I often need just one thing to complete a recipe. As I stand there I can't help but think, 'please, just let them say "oh you go ahead, you have SO much less than I do,"' but alas they rarely do. So patiently I wait as the scanner clicks for what seems like over an hour as the seemingly endless supply of sustenance crosses the register barrier.

However, when I am sitting at a red light and don't immediately tap the gas the moment the light flickers to green people get angry; honking, fingers and yelling may ensue as I move my foot anxiously from the brake to the gas. Drivers swerve across lanes to pass each other, going well over the speed limit (or in Massachusetts just above the flow of traffic).

Here is what I want to know: how do those people handle the doldrums of waiting in a store line?