Taking the long way around

Ya, that's right. I'm a ripper-offer. I'll rip it however I want. Suck it Trebeck. 


I'm listening to the Dixie Chicks right now, and it's the first song on the album. I used to HATE country music with a burningmotherfucking passion. But a couple of years ago I saw the documentary Shut Up and Sing and all began to change for ever. The film rocked me. These Chicks rock me. From there I've been exposed to the ever constant world of down-home-boot-slappin-Godloving-good ol boys and their "country queens"  and seriously... the men? HAWT. They're MEN if ya know what I mean. I didn't actually realize how damn good looking Blake Shelton was until I just watched the link for that. Yowza. Anyway, I recently hooked up my earphones to the computer at work, and leaving one ear open, I rock out to the country tunes on the interweb. Keeps the weekends right on tickin'. This city girl's a true convert, and I don't believe it myself. 


I have a lot I'd like to talk about but for now I'd also like to impart an anecdote for you. I rode my bike downtown encore today, and on my way home I had the privilege of riding behind whom I will title "Safety Bob". Safety Bob is approximately 45 years old, wearing a large black helmet, and an orange construction vest. His steed was a sweet old lady-bike. He rode like the wind. 


The first "safety" move I witnessed was at the intersection of a one-way street. He did the classic turn onto the adjacent street so that you can do a semi-circle and dodge the red light. Nice move Bob. Although I didn't really see the point of this. He could have just gone through the light. It was a one way street, and you can see the cars. Although I just waited for the light to change he wasn't actually that much farther ahead. The next move in the lesson book was to stop at a red light where he was making a right hand turn. I don't know why he didn't just turn right, but you don't ask questions when someone is clearly so SAFE. So I go around him, make my right turn, and merge into the middle lane to make the next left. As I'm turning left, OUT OF NOWHERE... BOB! The quick safety monster has made a sneaky (but safe) move of actually crossing the whole street and arriving on the opposite sidewalk, and nearly cutting me right off mid-turn. Again, I do not question his methods. 


When I started thinking: how someone could rattle along so safe, and so strange? His final foray in crash prophylactic was to again pull one of his half circles on a one way street. Bob, Bob, Bob... why?? It was just a stop sign... but I reminded myself... you don't question Safety Bob. You just don't.