Driving and Cell Phones

I moved to this little town in Illinois. It's a small little town. Seems like a pretty safe place to raise the kids; although, I went to the laundromat the other day and it was kind of eery and Stephen King-ish.

There is not a soul in sight. There are yellowed hand-written notes about not leaving your laundry while the machines are on. Wasn't even an air-conditioner, least it wasn't on. 

I go outside and am looking down one of the main streets in town and there is not one car driving by on a thursday morning. I swear to god. I hear a crow, maybe Flagg off in the distance. Eery. 

One time I'm sitting at a stop light. I thought I was doing the smart thing and texting while I am at a red light. The dude in the truck next to me yells to get off my phone.

 The light wasn't even green, yet. I just look at him all stupidly like,huh?!  In hind-sight, I guess he was right I shouldn't be texting behind the wheel. Of course I felt mad for a minute though, like who the f is he?! Telling me what to do!

Another day I am on my way to work and have oh, about 30 minutes or so in the car. A good time to talk on the phone with friends. There is some road construction ahead at a four way stop and I'm busy chatting it up on my phone. Now I'm an experienced phone talker driver. I'm from St. Louis, that is what we do. We talk and drive. 

I'm looking and one of the workers is a chic. I'm thinking wow, she is one amazing chic. She works on the roads. Dude, that is awesome. For real. I'm thinking this and she looks up at me and starts to raise her hand, I'm like wow, she knows I think she's awesome she's going to wave at me.

 She brings her hand up to her face and motions like she is hanging up the phone and mouths; get off the phone. 

In that second I drop the phone all sheepishly, like shit I've been caught.

 Then I'm driving past and am thinking about this interaction. I'm in my head going who the fuck?! She thinks she's the phone police, she has the authority to tell me what to do?

 I'm coming up with all these things I should have done back, I should have just flipped her the bird and stared at her dead in the eye, while slowly driving by, talking on my phone. Damn, why didn't I do that?

After that moment passed I thought about what I was doing. And the more I think about it I guess I deserve that. People die from someone talking on the phone and texting. Damnit, no matter how much I hate to admit it, they were right and I was wrong. Hate when that happens.