We took the puppies for a nice long walk last night, heading over to my brother and sister-in-law’s so my niece and nephews could see the dogs before they left for Iowa for the week. Aside from the wind and the rain that arrived as we did at their house, the walk was uneventful, though I almost had what I’ll call a Garp moment.
I don’t know if anyone remembers the scene from the 1982 movie with Robin Williams, “The World According to Garp,” in which Williams as Garp goes off on a pickup truck that has been terrorizing the neighborhood by speeding through the quiet suburban streets. But that is how I’ve been feeling lately as we’ve been getting out with the dogs. The number of speeding cars, vans and SUVs — and, no, it’s not just teenage drivers — barrelling around this neighborhood, on Kendall, New, Kingsley and even some of the side streets, is mind-boggling. I said to Annie the other night that I think they drive faster on Kendall than they do on New.
Last night, as we walked, I flashed to the scene in the movie. Garp has reached the boiling point as the same driver of the same red pickup flies through his neighborhood. He takes a baseball bat and chases him and blasts the truck.
Needless to say, I’m not vindictive or violent and I’m the law-abiding sort, so I let the moment pass. But I can see how that kind of overreaction could feel real satisfying.
Hank Kalet 