Traveling Sidewalks

On occasion people have asked me why I walk so fast. On other occasions, those same people will say, "You make me tired just watching you flit from place to place. Don't you ever just sit down?" The other day, my gal Friday says, "You have too much going on." I truly don't get it! I may be busy, but compared to my mother, I'm pretty lazy. I suppose I learned most my habits from her. But then again, my dad always said, "work first, play later." Once everything was done that must be done living on a farm, THEN one could rest.

I've been in airports since our girls moved to North Carolina. We won't talk about THOSE experiences. But coming to NC this past week-end, alone..., I noticed how very much I love those conveyor belts, or is it fast moving walk-ways? Oh wait...they're called "moving sidewalks"! My Mother would have absolutely LOVED those things. If she could have found her balance getting on and off. =} My husband gets a kick out of watching me come off them. It's as if I've been shot through a cannon and land 2 feet beyond the edge. Oh well, someone has to be the one that gives others conversation. Glad I can help.

As I was saying, I love those moving walk-ways, with maybe one exception. I'm relatively sure God saw my need and instructed the brainy people to create these things. They are God's gift to those of us that really want and most of the time need, to get somewhere. But invariably, there will be traffic jams on these wonderful pieces of creation. So why do people with no where to go and no desire to get there, ride these marvels of busy people helps? There is only one word I know that could possibly describe them. Lazy. Okay, okay. Maybe that's not altogether fair. Maybe they have an illness that keeps them from walking. But how did they get to the moving sidewalks? So that can't be it. Maybe they have heart problems and need whatever they can find to help them get where they are going. That's probably the true reason. Now I'm feeling really bad for the frustration I felt with the many "traffic jams" on those precious conveyor belts built just for me. "Excuse me, excuse me," I said more than once, laden down with a 60 pound carry-on and my 40 pound purse, I KNOW they are aware of my presence. And the belt belongs to ME...right? So they give in (sometimes) and move over 1/2 inch. "Oops! I'm so sorry. Did that hurt?"

Before you start throwing eggs at me, you must understand my connecting flight was waiting on me, depending on me, to claim my seat. The first flight was 30 minutes behind schedule and because of thunderstorms in the area, had to move out of their prescribed flight pattern and go "the long way around." My seat partner was afraid he would miss HIS connecting flight. (He had an hour lay-over and a buzz going on). My lay-over was much shorter and I had to walk 10 miles to get to the out-going gate. But never fear! Those moving side-walks will get you there, Mary! Because you, unlike the rest of the population, actually walk while being carried along!

Well, I did make it...with a few minutes to spare...sorry for knocking your hip out of socket lady. I even got to have eye contact with some cute little kiddos. So, now what's on our agenda for some excitement? Hope I don't have to wait until I'm headed home on those big birds in the sky, for excitement. WHAT AM I THINKING? I'm with my girls! That in itself is plenty...