gimme horn

Driving over to Starbucks in desperate need of caffeine, I readied my camera. For what, I didn't know, perhaps a landscape of the vast Westfield Mall. Usually I spy something of interest as I captain my Corolla around the not so mean streets of West Toledo.

In fact, a picturesque bearded old guy was sitting on the wooden bus stop bench in front of a deserted section of mall parking lot. Meanwhile, a solitary passer-by was, uhh, passing by and stopped to speak with the seated man. Perhaps picturesque guy was not about the bus but about a handout because I saw the passer-by dig into a pocket. Alas, although I was cruising cautiously, I missed that photo op.

O well, I was certain there would be others on this gorgeous fall Sunday. I drove on and another Kodak moment quickly presented itself. At the corner of Talmadge where a new store is under construction I saw a small cluster of people facing the intersection. I readied my camera. It could be union members, I thought, since I had seen the inflatable and inflated rat at this corner some weeks back. I snapped a picture as I pulled up to a red light. There I saw four persons protesting the war or war in general. Their signs said bring home our troops and stop drone strikes. One woman was holding a sign with an image of Jesus Christ on it. Jesus Christ, I muttered.

The guy closest to my passenger side window held a sign that said to honk if you were for peace. I pointed my camera but it wouldn’t shoot. Sometimes I have to fiddle with the on/off switch to get it to work. That’s what I was doing when the light turned green. On cue, the guy behind me honked. Was he declaring his solidarity with this scruffy gang of street corner peaceniks? No, I’m pretty sure he just wished I would step on it. I got the camera working and snapped a picture. Ready to proceed, I waved to the pacifists and added my own beep-beep to what by now had grown into a smattering of horns behind me. Of course, I also took a moment at the expense of those impatient motorists to enjoy the irony, before putting the Corolla in gear.