With my new job I am now driving to Monroe everyday. For me to get to Monroe it requires going to HWY 9 until US 2 to Monroe. (This may be common knowledge, but I had no idea where Monroe was when I signed up for this.)
This last week I got to experience the most 3am-5am trips to work yet. I think I just hate driving all together. I think I like highway driving better then the rush hour freeway or sitting in the north everett daily afternoon shit. But for the record the highway scares me so much!! It has no barricades, one lane both ways.
And just so you know there are 3 Don't Drink and Drive signs, in memory of. I think about them every time I drive by. I was day dreaming about when we will start seeing the Don't Text and Drive signs. Or maybe they are already around and I just have not seen them yet. But after 2 or so weeks of driving I finally noticed that one of the signs said: Don't Drug and Drive. I found that interesting. It seemed like the grammar was a little off, but I get it. Those signs just make me sad. And even more freak me out driving on US 2 at 3:30am. Oh and the nice sign that lets me know: (Currently) It has been 52 days since the last serious crash on the Highway. YAY! I secretly celebrate each day that goes up. :)
These are some of the things I have gotten to experience with this new drive:
1. 2 separate times random men walking on the side of Hwy 9. At 3:30am. Weird! and Scary. One of them was staggering the line.
2. One weekend they closed Hwy 9 so I got to take a detour which was a lot of dark, hilly, winding roads. I was not sure how long the detour was going to take me and I ended up getting to work 30 min early, which is not normally a big deal but I had to sit in the parking lot at 4am.
(Which speaking of, kind of off topic. The first time I opened by myself (as the key holder) with 2 baristas, I was in the back about to get the tills ready and I heard the baristas saying something. I went out there and there was a tweaker guy in a hooded sweatshirt with the hood on standing in our lobby. The barista said louder, "Oh we are not open yet" and he mumbled, "Well when do you open?" and she said "4:30" and then he mumbled, "well do you know what time it is?" and she said..whatever time it was. He finally left. I was like WHAT the hell!? Apparently she forget to fully turn the lock on the front door. Definitely a learning experience for me, like always make sure the barista locks the door. One of the next times I opened, this same tweaker was in our parking lot before we went in. He finally walked around the corner so we went to go in the building, but then he came back around and was asking us for 50 cents so he could make a phone call. I don't get this guy just hanging out at 4am. We finally found some change for him so he could leave and we could go in and get to work. An hour or so later he came in and went straight to the bathroom. When he came out there were 3 police officers ordering coffee. He immediately went to the pastry case and look around. I have never seen a tweaked tweak out so bad. He put his hands down his pants a few times, then in his front pockets, then his back pockets, then scratched his face and so on. I was dying. One of the cops was just staring at him the whole time too. Anyways he finally ordered 2 pastries and paid with a handful of change. At least my 50 cents went to a good cause, like my store's revenue! :)
Anyways....
3. The other weekend they closed a chunk of Hwy 2 and (unknowing to me) altered some lanes of Hwy 9 to make it less congested with all the extra traffic. As I am going straight thru my light in my normal lane, it all the sudden became a turn only lane and I almost hit the barricades. You better believe that I turned my turn signal the other way and patiently waited until someone let me in. :)
4. About 2-3 times a week I have to run a red light. Have to? You may ask. Yes, HAVE to. When I am trying to turn left from Hwy 9 to Hwy 2, in the wee hours of the morning, this light never turns green. I have tried everything! Reversing and trying again, going really slow up to the light, going fast, flashing my high beams, turning my wheels, inching forward etc etc etc. I end up just running it. Someday I will get pulled over. But until then....I am a law breaker.
And now I am sad to announce there was a fatality crash on Hwy 2 yesterday. (This is what happened when I take 2 weeks to actually finish a blog). Boo. Start over, 1 day since the last serious crash. And apparently the 53 days was almost a record anyways...
OK pay attention while driving people! And obviously don't drink and drive. Thanks!
