From Gene’s notebook

…and there I am on my bike, corner of Boca Chica and Central Boulevard, looking at the $3.55 gas, looking at car upon car and truck upon truck, single person in each …. The heat builds, near 95 degrees; the southeast wind rips bank flags. Half the drivers in those cars and trucks are on cellphones, and all have their ACs turned full blast ….

Is this hell? Is this laughing to the grave? Who gives a damn! Burn that gas. Don’t change! Don’t carpool!

Earlier I told a doctor and librarian that this gas “crisis” might have some fine outcomes: more walking, thus cutting into the doctor’s heart business; he didn’t mind; more library books with people sticking around their homes more; she was pleased.

Back to the hot intersection; the lights changed, and those stopped went and those going stopped, and the world went on and on, until ….

–Eugene (Gene) Novogrodsky