Blogging Like I've Never Blogged Before

Sunday, April 12, 2009


I don't think I have to tell you that Cleveland is nothing like New York. Every once in a while, though, something happens that reminds me of the big city.

We had a cold spell this winter (pretty much from October 1 - probably middle of June). There was about one week where the wind chills were way below zero. I was walking to work, and when I first left my apartment, I thought that it wasn't too bad. The wind wasn't blowing, which makes all the difference. But when the temperature is about negative 10 (that was the real temp... not the wind chill), eventually, it doesn't matter that there isn't any wind. It's just damn cold.

Anyway, I was walking and about two blocks into my walk, I felt a funny feeling in my nose. At first, my nose started running, then it completely froze. It was odd. That's just an example of how cold it was.

About a block away from work, a chubby little lady started crossing the street. She did not have the right of way, but I think because it was so cold, she didn't care. Problem is, there is a car coming, which did have the right of way.

Keep in mind, it's about 6:30 in the morning. There isn't a lot of traffic. So this one car, a pick-up truck, starts beeping at the lady. She is a slooow walker. Her chunky little legs must have been frozen. The car keeps honking. He has to slow down, but just barely. It didn't really take much time out of his commute. As he is driving by (remember, it's fucking freezing out), he lowers his window, sticks his head out the window and yells, "HOOOONNNK!" He actually yelled "honk." Because his horn didn't get the point across.

I credit his unoriginality to the cold. Clearly, "It says don't walk, you oompa loompa!" would have been a better thing to shout. It would have stung a little more. But he was probably so cold when he rolled down his window, he forgot what he was going to say and all he could do was repeat the last thing he heard, which happened to be his car horn.

Oh well. It made me laugh. You usually don't see that kind of anger or road rage out here. One thing I don't miss at all about New York are the honking horns. But I can take a horn once in a while, as long as it is followed by someone then doing an impression of said horn.
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