Yesterday while driving through downtown, my eyes noticed a sight in the rearview mirror that held my attention block after block. Not only did I drive at a slower pace, I actually wanted to stop at every traffic light in town to hold onto the image and witness the entertaining vision just a little bit longer.
After stopping at a red light, I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw the driver of the car behind me, an elderly woman with blue hair, giggling. Not laughing, but actually giggling!
With both hands on the steering wheel and shoulders high, her head and body bobbed in an up and down motion, as if to be releasing the sound of, “hee hee hee” while her smile extended across her face. When my eyes shifted to the passenger’s seat, I saw the driver’s clone (only a smaller version) with the exact same facial expression and head bobbing motion, leading me to believe that she too was not laughing, but giggling!
The unexpected sight of what appeared to be pure happiness caught me off guard, triggering a reaction that made me snicker out loud.
When the traffic light turned green, I drove on. But as luck would have it, the very next light was red so once again I stopped. Curiosity getting the best of me, I anxiously looked into the rearview mirror to see if the giggling of the two elderly women was funny enough to follow me to the next light.
Sure enough, the giggling had continued – only this time, there were FOUR!
Bursting into ‘hee hee’ giggles of my own, I felt my head and body bob while a smile covered my face and disbelief filled my eyes!
In the car behind me there were four ladies with identical features, well into their late 80s, giggling with the faces of innocence children. The two in the backseat were now leaning toward the middle, one holding the arm of the other as if to support each other, both contributing to the generous joy expressed by the two in the front.
Clearly the ladies were having fun and I was too! Not having a clue as to the origin of their giggling behavior, for once I truly enjoyed the traffic stops and delays of downtown driving.
Stopped at the final light before my destination, it occurred to me, perhaps I’d get a chance to meet the ladies since they too were in the turn lane and seemed to be following me. When the green arrow appeared, I turned left with them in tow. Taking an immediate right into the parking lot, a hint of disappointment surfaced when the ladies went straight and did not follow. Then the different routes caused me to laugh – not giggle – while appreciating the irony.
Being half their age, I was the one looking for a place to park at The Arthritis Center as they drove past. My first thought was, “What’s wrong with this picture?” Then I said to myself, “Not a thing!”
I’m inspired and now refer to the friends I saw but never met as my ‘Senior Heroes.’ When I grow up, I hope to be just like them!
Thank you for sharing.
wonderful to experience one of the little joys in life amidst the less enjoyable details we all have to endure.
Nothing wrong with that pic at all!
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