A number of years ago, during my working years, it became necessary for me to spend quite a bit of time in Philadelphia. The trips were usually short \u2014 2 to 3 days at most. Back then it was only about a two to three hour trip so I usually drove. I also usually took a government car rather than drive my own. As you probably know, government cars have US Government license plates \u2014 it doesn\u2019t matter what government agency, the plates are all the same \u2014 Dept. of Agriculture, FBI, IRS, State Dept,, etc. \u2014 doesn\u2019t matter \u2014 all the plates are the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyhow, most of the trip from Washington to Philadelphia involved traveling on Interstate 95 and portions of I-95 required a toll.
I usually made these trips alone, only occasionally traveling with someone else. Two to three hours in a car alone gets a little boring, so I had this game I used to play. When I pulled up to the toll booth, I paid the toll for the car behind me \u2014 I usually did this when there was only one person in the car behind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Invariably, I\u2019d get a lot of entertainment out of this \u201cact of kindness.\u201d Usually the car would closely follow me, wondering why someone in a government car would be paying their toll. They would often creep up beside me in the passing land and stare \u2014 I would always smile at them and give them a little wave. Then they\u2019d drop back and follow again. I don\u2019t remember anyone ever passing me.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I told someone that I did this one day and they said it was cruel \u2014 I said I thought it was an act of kindness.
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A number of years ago, during my working years, it became necessary for me to spend quite a bit of time in Philadelphia. The trips were usually short \u2014 2 to 3 days at most. Back then it was only … Continue reading