Booking Through Thursday

The question of the day is:
Where don't I read?

Answer:
Almost nowhere. I generally do not read while driving a car, unless you count billboards, bumper stickers and other print on vehicles and buildings I pass. In obscenely bad traffic, I have once or twice flipped through a catalog. I had a coworker years ago who would read an actual book while driving on the highway to work. I think this makes cell phones look safe.



I recently started taking pictures in the car which also is not safe. I try to only do so at stop lights and when in very slow traffic. It is hard to look through the lensfinder and accurately judge the following distance of the car in front.
I took a picture of the truck in front of me last week because this particular truck company makes me have unpleasant associations with World War II newsreels. I'm sure Mr. Heil runs a very responsible trucking company but his last name has unfortunate implications. After all would you buy Kremlin cosmetics or Ethnic bathroom cleansers?
Speaking of trucks, I actually had one hit me last week(and I wasn't reading or taking pictures). I was in downtown highway traffic and had the nerve to merge into a lane in front of a truck. Traffic was moving slowly, the gap was plenty large but the truck driver didn't see fit to brake.
Have you ever not wanted anyway to pull in front of you so you try to close the gap rather than letting them in? I think the driver was pulling that little stunt and didn't stop in time. He only slightly clipped my rear bumper and then had the gall to yell at me. Since no harm was done to my car, I didn't even stop (who wants to spend an hour standing on the curb only to have your insurance rates go up) but I did take his license and call it in to the state police. I don't know if they ever pulled him over, but I doubt a charge of reckless driving will look good on his record. I don't know if it made the news out of state but there was a local scandal a year or two ago in which it was discovered that many Illinois truck drivers gained their licenses through bribes to select officials.
Back to books. I do read in bed, in the car when I am not driving, in the tub, in restaurants, in airplanes and airports and anywhere else I am allowed to read. Although I have definite reading preferences I will read a cereal box if nothing else is available. When I was a kid, I got car sick but we took long family car trips so I read anyway. I developed an iron will so I never threw up even though there were times I might have preferred to. One road trip to Canada, I read James Clavell's novel Shogun. Having a good Chunkster novel sure helps a long car ride go by.
Happy reading!