The compulsion continues

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Just outside of Des Moines now, and have spent part of this mini-leg wondering why the noun form of compel is compulsion. Why not compelsion? Or compulled?

I also participated in a little Presidential straw poll. There was a couple from Nebraska who, as they passed me, held up a Kerry/Edwards sign in the window, and then asked me for a thumbs up or down. They seemed pretty happy with my answer, but then they had a K/E sticker on their car. A few minutes later, I passed someone with a variety of anti-abortion bumper stickers on their rusted-out van, and I'm pretty sure that this person cancelled me out.

I've had cause to reflect upon how little I like grooved pavement. It always makes me feel as though I've got less control over my car than I actually do.

I also discovered at this rest stop that there are 44 "fun spots" in Iowa, where folks can partake of "boogying."

Finally, I think that there's a piece of Colorado tumbleweed stuck to the underside of my car.

Oh, that wasn't the last one. Down at Lori's, I found out that her mom and I share a compulsion. When we're in cars, we cannot help but read signs, often out loud. I don't think I'm breaking a vow of silence when I say that Lori and Lana find this terribly annoying. Fortunately for Lori, and others around me, I don't usually vocalize my reading, so she had no idea that I had the same habit (until I told her). I have noticed myself doing it on this trip, though. There's just something about all those words, just crying out to be read. Last night, as I was winding into Lexington, I saw a billboard well off the highway to the left, and as I passed it, I couldn't make out all the text on it, and felt mildly insulted to be teased like that.

Oh yes. I'm just a barrel of fun in the car, especially after a couple thousand miles. Davenport soon. That is all.

3 Comments

It is hard to figure out how to be able to respond (and you probaly wish it would be more difficult), so I probably did not get it right. It's your uncle john again, and your dad was never available for bar or bat mitzvahs, nor did he ever come out to watch me lose golf tournaments. He did invite me to Madison when he was in college and I was in high school. He was a scrub for the UW football team, but he probably pulled one of the most extrodinary on field exploits in the storied history of the Badgers(on the bench). Or maybe I just made that up.

The only vow of silence I'd like to discuss is how to get my mom to TAKE ONE where signs are concerned.

And I love Collin's explanation for why he feels compelled (compulled?) to read them: He's "finishing" them. And then they're done.

BTW, you have achieved God status with Lana. Her office artwork came in the mail today. You're pretty cool, Brooke.

Excellent...frame it up, and get her over to Gypsy Warehouse for some pillows, and my contribution to Scooter's Acupuncture will be complete...


cgb

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This page contains a single entry by cgbrooke published on October 14, 2004 5:41 PM.

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