We gave Goomp something of a scare today, revealing the Mr. Hyde half of our normally Dr. Jeckyll driving personality. Motoring down the old Newburyport Turnpike between Everett and Charlestown, down Memorial Drive, across the B.U. Bridge and into the western Boston neighborhood known as Jamaica Plain to pick up Baby Cakes -- whose frequent urination had worried us enough this morning to rush him right in to Angell Memorial for emergency attention* -- we reverted to type -- the type of driver we were in our heyday, when a daily commute between Chelsea and Boston was the order of the day. Here's what frightened Goomp:
The traffic was a piece of cake this morning but a total nightmare this afternoon, as they had closed down the major by-pass that goes underground near the Schrafft Building in Charlestown, without notifying anyone in time to choose an alternate route, so what had taken perhaps 10 minutes this morning took just under an hour this afternoon.
They should have had a traffic cop at Sullivan Square. Instead, they had timid drivers who let the cross traffic have right of way all the time. When I got close up, I put on the horn and barrelled through.
"You sound fearsome," commented Goomp.
I would have probably been a superb Special Ops Marine type. An annoying, ill-mannered driver who shot out ahead of the rest of us in the far lane tried to cheat his way in at the head of the line. I went bumper to bumper with him, staring straight ahead, alternating gas bursts with quick brake work to show him who was boss.
Don't mess with Sissy.
*As we reported to Goomp this afternoon re the Babe:
He was urinating every five minutes this morning and seemed to be drinking a lot, so I got worried. He is fine, by the way . . . Local vet couldn't see him till 4 p.m., so I took him in to Angell Memorial . . . They kept him for a couple of hours till they could collect some urine. Did blood tests to rule out diabetes, renal failure and thyroid . . . She thinks it may be a urinary tract infection so put him on antibiotics for a few days. We're adopting a wait-and-see attitude but feeling a whole lot better than we did this morning.
I hear ya, there's construction on my route to work every morning. Bad and inconsiderate drivers are the most maddening thing to me. But stay safe and sorry to hear about the cat pee problem.
Posted by: Rob A. | November 09, 2004 at 06:50 PM
It's 1 a.m. now, and the Babe seems fine, sleeping at my feet until I just got up to check out the blogosphere. As for the driving, I frighten myself sometimes.
Posted by: Sissy Willis | November 10, 2004 at 01:10 AM