The Magic Bus

The blue line in Chicago had a wreck at O'hare, so I decided to take a cab instead of the train and the cab driver was from Cameroon. I told him that I've never been to Africa, or anywhere overseas really, and I started to tell me how I really should go abroad since it would help me to appreciate the essence of the United States. He said there is no other country with such a system, and when I asked him to explain it he said the following, "In this country, if you want something you just go get it. You just have to follow the rules, and if you try to take shortcuts you will probably get caught. In other countries there are too many roadblocks and regulations",  What a lesson! If you want something just go get it. No complaining, no excuses, just go get it! Another inspiring lesson from an African cab driver.

I am disturbed today since I met a rare person that reminds me of one of Tolstoy's characters, but I'm agitated because I can't remember which one, and furthermore I can't remember if it was in War and Peace or Anna Karenina, which could mean I may have to read them both again. Ugh. The person being described in the novel so impressed Tolstoy that all he could say was that they had "that that", which is striking because it means Tolstoy could not describe them in his own language, and if Tolstoy can't describe them that maybe it can't be done through human language. In any case, I WILL read both novels again if I have to, because even though the description is seemingly so meager, the reader knows EXACTLY what he means. In any case, there are a handful of people, male and female, old, young, and in between,  throughout one's life that when you meet them you can't think of one word to describe them, their presence is so comple...