I was in Tuscaloosa for a meeting that went late last night. Yes, it really was a meeting and no, it wasn't a fun kind of meeting. After the meeting I dropped by a fast food place and then gassed up the car and headed north. Eight gallons in the Prius. Good for another couple of weeks. Not relevant, I just like to think about it. . .
Tuscaloosa, historically, has more traffic/miles driven per capita than any place in the world. You can't google this statistic, at least until now, because I just made it up, but I'm pretty sure it is right after about three or four decades of observation and participation. I really can't figure out where everyone is going, they just seem to be moving from place to place in their automobiles. It may be that if everyone decided to park at the same time there would not be enough space. Some may be still searching for a parking place for the last home football game.
I was almost brought to tears when, while in the left turn lane I was swept along with the crowd as the cars moved as one, beginning with the green arrow, the yellow arrow, and then the red don't go anymore light. We kept going and going. It is an automotive ballet. Organic traffic. Another statistic. In Tuscaloosa more cars in the left turn lane turn left after the arrow turns red than anywhere in the world. I am pretty sure you can get a ticket for being the car that actually stops for the red light too early.
Then I left Tuscaloosa and went to Birmingham, stopping off at O'Henry's Coffee in Homewood for a late night decaf light latte. Folks were in there studying, or just talking around the tables. People were strolling on the streets, in and out of the restaurants and bars that were still open. I sat at one of sidewalk tables in the perfect night air and people watched for a few minutes. I wouldn't mind living around a place like that.
And I just got back from Walmart tonight, where I ran into several friends as we zig-zagged from aisle to aisle in the grocery section playing the game that Walmart marketers set up by changing the location of necessary food items from time to time so that you have to pass all the stuff that you don't really need. The place was full.
I did not see one case of water in any cart while I was there. I didn't hear anyone talking of roof damage, or power outage, or chain saws. There were almost no cars in the parking lot from Cullman, Etowah, andMarshall Counties, where there had been hundreds three weeks ago.
For most of us, things are getting back to normal, and that is a good thing.
But let's not forget that is not so easy for a whole lotta folks to get there. They still don't have the time or the means or physical strength to return to the traffic, to the shops, even to WalMart. Truth is, the heaviest lifting and the deepest giving is probably yet to come.
It's good to get back to normal. Maybe even a better normal after we have learned a lot about helping our neighbors.
But as we get back, let's make sure we bring as many folks with us as we can. It's like being in that left turn lane in Ttown, this is no time to stop.
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