Two Big Rocks

-

I had a surprise trip into the Adirondacks on Thursday.

I woke up in Utica and plug in the address to a road job. The address took me to Route 8 into a little town that was on the water. The sun was shining and the water beside the winding road was giving me beautiful glances at every turn.

The homes along the water were worn down and there were all sorts of broken down vehicles littering what should have been lawn. There were a lot of signs protesting the NY Safe Act and plenty of Keep America Great signs.

I sent a text to my client to let him know that the crew wasn’t at the address he sent to me. Moments later, my phone vibrated.

“Text not sent.”

There were no bars.

“No service.”

I drove back a little ways and found that I had service again. I resent the text.

“Yeah, I was trying to get ahold of you. They aren’t there. That’s just where their phone service stopped. They’re 25 miles further in.”

So, I moved along down Route 8.

Man, it was pretty.

Trees, shimmering water, hills, animals scattering about.

There are no gas stations or Wal-Marts or restaurants.

Then I pulled up at a light and snapped the photo because of the two rocks in that photo.

How long have they been there?

How long would they stay right there?

Hundreds of years?

And I was just passing through.

It was just an odd moment in a strange window of time. There weren’t any thoughts of the virus. The world will survive. Those rocks will stay right there, surrounded by beauty.

Unless we destroy it.

That’s the thing:

We’re the enemies of the beauty of the world.

I stopped the car beside a stream. It was simply a breathtaking view. So breathtaking in fact that I forgot to snap any photos.

I just stood there, breathing in the clean air, listening to the power of the running water as the black rocks shimmered in the bed.

“Beautiful.”

I got back into my car and continued to drive.

Passed a home that had a bunch of handwritten signs posted in the front yard.

“OBUMMER LIED!”

“PELOSIR DIDN’T HAVE EVIDENCE!”

“GOD AND TRUMP 2020!!”

“REPEL THE SAFE ACT!!”

All the signs...lined up...one by one.

In the middle of all that beauty.

Thought about those rocks again, and how they’ll sit in that spot for the next hundred years...

...not caring one lick about our stupidity.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Suits

-
Like a lot of other people we got pulled into the series, ‘Suits’ on Netflix. I’ve never had much fun hanging around lawyers who have questioned me as a construction safety officer. I once testified in a case where the opposing lawyer started questioning me by going through my educational background. “So,” he said, racing to a crescendo, “You graduated from college with a degree in Communications-Journalism and suddenly, 30 years later, you’re a ‘safety expert.’” He actually made the quotation marks with his fingers. I just looked at him. “How does that happen?” He bellowed, sure that he was going to discredit me. “Well,” I said. “I knew I was overqualified to become a lawyer.” The courtroom erupted in laughter. Even the judge chuckled. The rest of his questions landed flat. So, I wasn’t all that keen on a show about lawyers, but ‘Suits’ is great. Meghan Markle became a princess because of the show, and she is very good in it (and a beautiful woman). Yet, there is so much more. The wri
Read more

My Buddy, Dave

-
Way back in 1997, I started working with a steel erection company out of Syracuse. I was coming straight from a long stint with a steel erector here in Buffalo so I knew my stuff when it came to steel erection safety rules. On day one, I met with the safety director and he was just getting started as a safety guy, but man, he certainly cared about the guys he worked with. Dave was a good man from the start. He’d say things like: “You’re so full of beans.” Just a down to earth, hardworking guy who became a fast friend. We drove all around New York State setting up jobs. I always let Dave drive so that I could rest. One fine day, way up North of Syracuse, we passed a state trooper.  I glanced at the speedometer. “You’re screwed,” I said, and seconds later, the lights came on. Dave was beside himself.  The cop stopped by the window, grabbed the license and registration and headed back to his vehicle. “Here’s the thing,” I said. “You’re pissed, but you’re such a good guy that I bet you tha
Read more

Mom & Ollie

-
Image
 Ollie Stadium is a mess. The heavy rains rendered the backyard a mud pit and even though we threw in the side yard, the Big O was looking for more, and we were both covered in mud. I had to take some steam out of him somehow so I suggested we go visit Grandma. Ollie hates the car, but he laid quietly as we made the trip. We even brought the football because there is plenty of room to play at Grandma’s. Mom opened the door and started laughing. I thought about the love she had for every single dog we ever had. Oliver was quick to give my Mom a kiss, and then he stood beside her. The love between Mom and Dogs is a mutual bond. Through the years, Mom would make breakfast for the dogs.  Fried eggs, toast, bacon… She would wrap Christmas gifts for them. “To Jeter, Love Santa,” she would write on the cards. They played with the big chicken that made a lot of noise. Mom tossed the football and Ollie brought it back to her. As the visit drew to a close I headed for the door.  “C’mon, Oliver,”
Read more