Monday, December 23, 2002
Where is everybody?
Now, I know it's technically not a holiday, but there's still a palpable thrill in the air. Something exciting this way comes, and I suspect that others can sense it as well. My first hint was during the morning drive, when the traffic lanes in front of me seemed to part like the Red Sea at my advance - that had certainly never happened before. The freeway was open - I mean, really open - and it felt as though I was the only person on Earth. Well, at least in Los Angeles, which in truth is nothing like Earth. And that was only the beginning, for once I reached work, the parking lot was like an open sea; the air was crisp, the sky was clear, and the lot was empty. Well, I thought, that explains it - when people here don't come to work, you know that there's something afoot. Truly strange; it was a real Night of the Comet moment for me.
Perhaps it's the particular calendrical convergence this year that brings such a Monday. After all, why work when properly chosen vacation days can snag an entire week away? Indeed. And next year, as I understand, will be equally as good - if not better, with the holidays coming in close proximity to the weekend.
In either case, I'm not staying here all day. Right now, in fact, I'm feeling especially eager to leave - I'm drinking instant coffee and sneezing like crazy. Perhaps I'm averse to the instant stuff; after all, I think "Nescafe" is a rough French translation of "crap." Such is life when the roach coach runs out of fresh java.
Now, I know it's technically not a holiday, but there's still a palpable thrill in the air. Something exciting this way comes, and I suspect that others can sense it as well. My first hint was during the morning drive, when the traffic lanes in front of me seemed to part like the Red Sea at my advance - that had certainly never happened before. The freeway was open - I mean, really open - and it felt as though I was the only person on Earth. Well, at least in Los Angeles, which in truth is nothing like Earth. And that was only the beginning, for once I reached work, the parking lot was like an open sea; the air was crisp, the sky was clear, and the lot was empty. Well, I thought, that explains it - when people here don't come to work, you know that there's something afoot. Truly strange; it was a real Night of the Comet moment for me.
Perhaps it's the particular calendrical convergence this year that brings such a Monday. After all, why work when properly chosen vacation days can snag an entire week away? Indeed. And next year, as I understand, will be equally as good - if not better, with the holidays coming in close proximity to the weekend.
In either case, I'm not staying here all day. Right now, in fact, I'm feeling especially eager to leave - I'm drinking instant coffee and sneezing like crazy. Perhaps I'm averse to the instant stuff; after all, I think "Nescafe" is a rough French translation of "crap." Such is life when the roach coach runs out of fresh java.