EXIT AHEAD

     A couple of months ago, my wife and I were driving on I-5 in Portland during rush hour, which means we were not rushing at all. For a stretch of about five miles, we alternated between standing still and reaching blazing speeds of up to ten miles per hour.

     To pass the time, we started looking at what was on the sides of the road. I was driving in the far left lane, so my side had the breakdown lane and concrete barriers. At times like that, my mind as always, begins to wander. Not too far, because I was driving, but I began thinking about what I saw and wondering about the story behind some of the items laying there on the pavement.

     By far, there were more cigarette butts than any other single item that we saw that day. Portland banned smoking in public buildings, but people still smoke in their vehicles. Judging from the number of butts on the ground, I gather that not too many cars come with ash trays anymore. The story behind the butts is easy to figure out, it was easier to flick the cigarette out of a window than reach over and dirty up an ashtray.

     Next in number were the empty drink containers. Cups that once held a large soda or a caramel double shot extra vanilla bean soy French latte were now crushed or blowing around in the drafts produced by the passing cars and trucks. The cups, like the cigarettes were tossed to the side after they had served their purpose, not unlike some of the less fortunate people in our society, like the seniors and veterans.

As a side note to the above paragraph, the next time you walk into a coffee shop, ask for a “small black coffee” and watch the panic stricken reaction on the young cashier’s face. Chances are they will have to ask for help ringing it up.

     Back to the road. Scattered among the butts and cups were assorted car parts, including a large muffler. There were wheel covers, a mirror, one bumper, and a wheel and tire. I wonder why ODOT or other DOT agencies do not gather up these items and sell them on Craigslist or E-bay. And I thought about the poor guy driving down the Interstate. Suddenly he hits a bump and it sounds like he is driving a Sherman tank after his muffler falls off.

     I’m sure there is a story behind the line of clothes, but I don’t think I want to know what it is. First there were the sneakers, about fifty yards apart, followed by the pants. About a hundred yards farther up was a pair of women’s underwear. My mind came up with a few scenarios about the clothes and I imagined a party or somebody frustrated and not able to wait.

     I thought of another frustrated person who probably got to his office or a meeting and could not find the important reports that he needed for the business. That is because they were scattered along I-5 near the Rose Garden.

     Then there was the wallet. It was lying open, up against one of the concrete barriers. I noticed the driver’s license, credit cards and bills, all intact and I thought about how the driver probably came out of the coffee shop, balancing his large latte, keys, and wallet, and set the wallet on top of his Beemer while he unlocked the door and got in. The wallet probably rode there until he pulled out to pass another car on the freeway.

     I thought of many stories that day as we rolled along, As I saw the above items, along with the gum wrappers, pull tabs, aluminum cans, fast food wrappers and other assorted cast-offs, I was reminded of how the freeway was very much like a river.

     The fast current running down the middle of a river carries or pushes objects towards the banks where they sometimes settle in tidal pools. The freeway has fast moving traffic that creates a current of air, forcing objects to the side of the road, where they remain until somebody picks them up or moves them.

     Sometimes society is like the river or freeway. We have the fast-moving middle current, full of the mainstream busy lifestyles. This middle stream of people sometimes shoves the slower moving people to the side. The veterans, elderly, physically handicapped, mentally challenged, or special needs people end up on the side of the road or river, where they remain until another person takes an interest or a government official gets too embarrassed and decides to “clean up”.

     What’s my point?  Easy! Slow down, look at the side of the road you are traveling. Are you leaving somebody you love in your wake? Can you toss a lifeline or helping hand to another person? Maybe the lifeline you can toss is a simple smile or wave to acknowledge a person.