A Sign

The clouds were growing darker. I noticed the leaves coming to life, rising, turning and twisting trying to break free. Some succeeded and flew across the road before me rushing to some unknown destination.

 

I tried to concentrate on NPR. The economic forecast was bleak. A recession was likely which means a 20% drop in the 500. There goes my retirement plan. I try to calculate the time needed to recover from the typical two year recession just as a giant drop of rain was flung into the center of my windshield with such force that it spread out in a three or four inch pattern. It was somewhat beautiful in its symmetry. In seconds it was joined by others smashing, not falling, into my windshield.

 

The wipers struggled to keep up even at highest speed. The windshield took on an interesting life, clean for a second, translucent for the next second, and so on. It was like closing my eyes every other second. As I struggled to keep my focus on the road NPR continued its dire economic warnings. The sectors that will do well are health and military. Hmmm- there is some kind of irony here. A good stock play would also be pot producers and General Mills. It’s 3:59. If I hurry home I may be able to catch my financial advisor.

 

As I approach the stop sign ahead, I check all directions and see no signs of a car or truck except for the headlights of a vehicle a hundred yards behind me. I say out loud, to emphasize the point, “Don’t stop”. As I rushed through the intersection I outlined the new investment strategy in my mind. Minutes later I pull into my garage. I pull out my phone and touch the speed dial to my financial planner’s office. He agrees and he will execute the sales and reapportion my portfolio in a more conservative direction.

 

As I pour a glass of wine for myself and my wife, the 11 o’clock news begins. There was a terrible accident at 4:00 this afternoon- at the very stop sign I sped through. A huge tree branch fell and hit a car stopped there, killing the driver. My first thought was “I wonder if he was listening to NPR”. My next thought was…