More Delights and Disdains . . .

of a diminutive nature of late . . . Number 8

Disdains:

Moving my son back to university after his brief Summer break. Seems like we just did this, but at least his permanent dorm room is nicer. It is relatively new and doesn’t have the ghosts of students from decades past trapped in its paint.

Ignoring the tell-tale signs of a slight fluid leak under my car for a few days that finally manifested itself as a geyser of transmission fluid spraying underneath the car while my son and I were on our way into town. Fortunately, I have the tow truck company on speed dial . . . wait, does speed dial even exist anymore? Maybe that’s why it took him so long to arrive . . .

Delights:

Riding in the front seat of the tow truck with a driver who could match skills with the best NASCAR has to offer, steering wheel in his right hand, spit cup in his left, as we slalomed through the curves on the way home while wondering just how tightly he had secured my car on the back of his truck.

Thinking back in humorous wonderment at all of the cars that my three siblings and I have had that left us stranded on the side of the road. I could write a book on our close encounters with Volkswagens alone.

Watching my 3 year old grand nephew dancing at his birthday party to the music played by his cousins. They usually play an eclectic grouping of artists ranging from Mother Maybelle Carter to Johnny Cash to R.E.M. - which is how it should be.

Reading Getting About: Travel Writings of William F. Buckley, Jr. edited by Bill Meehan. I enjoy reading Buckley’s outrage at the travel delays during the 1970’s due to security screenings - a process that has put me off of airline travel especially since the DBS implants in my brain prevent me from going through metal detectors, thereby forcing the TSA’s searching hand to invariably wand itself deep into my right to privacy (bunch of proctologist wannabes). Anyway, I place Buckley high on my list of essayists along with Christopher Hitchens. Though not of the same generation, both were serious intellectual defenders of their positions, something that we are sorely lacking today.