| |
This fixation started to head in one direction,
towards speed bumps and even though Jack will point at and discuss
most any road sign, what we really do when we get in the car is
go out and "look
for some bumps"  which Jack is incredibly adept at.
Two things happened on the very same day that made me once again
realize how incredible it is to be a small person like Jack, and
how blessed I am to have him in my life. The first event started
after Jack's consistent declaration that we would be encountering "Humps,
Bumps and Dips" out in the big world. Now I knew what he meant,
but I had a different opinion. There are plenty of "Bumps
Ahead 15 MPH" signs around, and I figured he had seen a "DIP" sign,
but the "Humps" had me going. I think I have seen some "Speed
Humps" signs, but assumed it was regional or other hard to
understand department of transpiration language logic thing. So
I fought the impulse to correct Jack on the "Humps" issue
and along we went on our merry way. On the day in question we had
found a slightly different route to "The Big Bookstore" and
were all excited because there were new bumps on the horizon. We
went down two streets and acknowledged each new sign with our customary:
"Ready...
And...
Bump!".
 But
when we reached the third block Jack declared, "There's
a hump sign!", and
I dutifully said, no, that is a bump sign, and Jack said in his
most authoratative manner, "No, that is a hump sign, Look Dad!" and
just as we passed I looked up and had a complete double take-laurel
and hardy moment because there in front of me was a hump sign,
after two blocks of bumps signs. I laughed out loud in the car.
The other thing that happened that day goes under the
category of: kids abilities to see farther, smell better,
taste more accurately or hear a car door shut from a block away are
not unique, but merely signs of what it means to be new in this world.
So much so that Jack can see a speed bump sign from about 200 yards
in very dense traffic. You think I jest?
We were parked at the corner of Lincoln Bl and Washington Bl
at about 4:30 in the afternoon last week. Now, for those for
you from out of town, this is one of the busiest intersections
on the westside of LA. We were sitting there and after about
five seconds Jack goes "I see a bump sign" and I go
like "Where, what are you talking about?" He points
in the direction of a bunch of cars, a bunch of hideous Lincoln
Blvd decay and smog and I could see nothing other than sprawl.
Then I tried applying my Spiderman-like buddhist teachings
of looking beyond, ignore the vast amount of color, activity
and trash right in front of me and look past the intersection
and see if there was anything happening like three blocks away.
I still could not find anything resembling a bumps sign, and
of course after another round of "No,
there isn't (Dad), Yes there is (Jack) ensued.
Then, like a bolt of lighting I found it. Nestled
into a side street behind a plethora or urban sprawl sat a
lone speed bump sign. I sighed and nodded my head and said, yes
Jack I do see it too.
The below image is the actual intersection.
I went back (without Jack in the car) and documented the event.
Study the picture as long as you care to then pass your
cursor over the image and it will reveal
the hidden sign in question. |
