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"Pace is all. Rhythm is master. Consistency is your friend."

Monday, January 1, 2007

Changes

At a stoplight

It's my 16th birthday party. We girls have left the lame scene (my house) to cruise around in my friend Mary's car because she's the only one who can drive and has a car. The stereo is loud -- I think it's something by Whitney Houston. We stop at a red light where a woman is selling flowers. Mary calls the woman over. She comes running, smiling. Then the light turns green, and Mary hits the pedal. All the girls laugh.

- - -

I'm 26. I'm driving home from work in rush-hour traffic. I have the windows down because it's a nice day. My stereo is playing something loud -- maybe Red Hot Chili Peppers? At a red light, a guy in the next lane calls to me. "Hey! Hey!" Is my tire flat? Is my shirt stuck in my door? Reluctantly, I look over. He's actually kind of cute. He has a nice smile. He's just flirting. But what kind of guy tries to meet women at a stoplight? I start to roll up my windows. "Can't a guy talk to a pretty woman?!" he says.

- - -

I'm running an errand on business -- my own business, at 36. A car pulls up next to me at a red light. The stereo bass is booming so hard that my car is shaking and my bones are vibrating. It's a small car, but it's full of teenagers. I hear them laughing. I turn up my own stereo -- some John Mayer or Norah Jones -- to try to drown out their sound. I can't wait until the light turns green so they can speed off and take their bass with them.

- - -

Last night on the way home from dinner out with Star, Lancelot and her dear husband, I had to stop at a light. Flybaby was in his car seat, crying. I reached back to touch him to comfort him (I can only reach the top of his head) and tell him we'd be home soon. But his crying even drowned out strains of Baby Beethoven. Then the light turned green and I put both hands back on the steering wheel, thinking of putting him in his pajamas, nursing him and putting him to bed for the night.


Hope you enjoy this month's blog exchange. This post is by Damselfly, who started blogging about her pregnancy -- and now blogs about life with a newborn -- at Growing a Life. The theme for this month's exchange is "Changes," and you can find Nancy's thoughts on the topic here.

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12 Comments:

At 1/01/2007 10:07:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love how you captured this. I was just in the same night club I used to frequent as a post college single girl -- this time with my husband and toddler...

Amazing...

 
At 1/01/2007 12:12:00 PM, Blogger Bobita said...

Perfect. Lovely and perfect.

I could see myself in every one of the scenarios you described...except most of them involved Pat Benetar! :)

 
At 1/01/2007 01:07:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

These are great vignettes!

Happy New Year!

 
At 1/01/2007 02:20:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is beautifully written. I love it so....

 
At 1/01/2007 02:46:00 PM, Blogger Nancy said...

Thank you for showing us how much things change . . . and how quickly.

 
At 1/01/2007 03:36:00 PM, Blogger Karianna said...

Interesting snippets. Clever!

 
At 1/01/2007 04:57:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really love the way you showed each of these points in time. It was a very unique way to show changes.

 
At 1/01/2007 06:10:00 PM, Blogger Alex Elliot said...

That was so original! I like how you showed how you changed over time.

 
At 1/01/2007 06:40:00 PM, Blogger PunditMom said...

Amazing changes! And I bet it doesn't feel like so long ago that you were the 16 year old!

 
At 1/01/2007 09:14:00 PM, Blogger Heather said...

Great technique to tell your story.

 
At 1/01/2007 11:14:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow - brilliant!

 
At 1/03/2007 07:33:00 AM, Blogger Mamacita Tina said...

I love this! Very clever way to piece the different times together.

 

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