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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN |
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Whenever I eat lunch at the local burger shop, I sit near the front window where I see the most amazing things. I watch clouds roll by making all kinds of shapes and evoking various emotions. I observe the giant tree standing, season after season, like an elder statesman on the courthouse lawn. There is a constant parade of vehicles and pedestrians passing on various missions. I could write a whole volume of stories about all that I have seen through that front window over the years. However one of the most striking scenes took place on a warm summer day when there were more tourists than residents in town. The steady stream of traffic had entertained me through my tossed salad and seafood platter. Then, as I sat in postprandial bliss trying to decide whether or not to indulge myself with some ice cream, a sudden motion in the far crosswalk caught my attention. As my eyes focused, I saw two parents pushing strollers across the intersection. Mom led the way with the older of two children, probably about 3 years old. Dad brought up the rear with the younger child. What had initially caught my attention was a paddle being waved in the air by the older child. Slightly larger than a Ping-Pong paddle and shaped like a hexagon on a handle, it had two distinct sides. One was painted orange with black letters spelling "SLOW." The other side was red with white letters saying "STOP." While being pushed through the intersection, the child diligently waved his paddle toward oncoming vehicles lest they not observe the pedestrian right-of-way. At first I was amused by the scene. Then it occurred to me that although being cautious is a good thing, most of us learn to distrust far too early in our lives. There is danger in the world, but that doesn't necessarily make the world a dangerous place. What a difficult concept that is for most of us to understand.
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SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008 |
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