Buzzing About

Grumpily I stare at the sign. The trains are running 30–60 minutes late. I regretted that I had been in such a hurry to get to Hillsdale station this morning. I could have stopped for a cuppa joe. I look at my watch: Starbucks is just 12 minutes away, but counting the time for a round trip and the wait in line, I forego the temptation. I don’t know when the next train’s coming and I don't want to miss it.

It’s gray, drizzly, and cool, auguring a wet winter and a thick snowpack, just like last year. It’s only the first week in October, and I’m wearing a sweater and a raincoat.

[Good movie, by the way--First Monday in October, starring Jill Clayburgh and Walter Matthau. Witty and funny, Jill Clayburgh is a babe who plays the first female Supreme Court justice. Back in the ‘80’s, when they needed beautiful and smart, they called Jill Clayburgh. However, it was obvious that the scriptwriters had no idea how a conservative jurist really thinks or sounds.

Sodden thought: it would be very easy for a conservative writer like George Will or William Safire or Newt Gingrich to compose a reasoned essay arguing the liberal position, whether the topic was stem-cell research, tax policy, affirmative action, or terrorism. There are not many liberals---and none of them live in Hollywood---who could fake a convincing argument in the other direction, say, in favor of the Iraq war without the argument sounding cartoonish (Weapons of mass destruction! Bring the evildoers to justice!) and forced. They really need to mingle more with the masses.]

Well, I finally made it to the office. It’s Fleet Week, and the Blue Angels are buzzing about the Bay. May as well enjoy the show now. No telling how many more years these excess CO2 emissions will be tolerated. © 2006 Stephen Yuen

By mid-afternoon the skies had cleared.

Peace Bus: land-based vehicles can emit gases too, but when your intentions are pure, it's okay.