Red light, green light, I could live without the stoplight

It’s funny the things I take for granted after living in Phillips County for a few years. I took a trip to Denver for a publishers meeting last month and though I had a good time, I don’t miss big city living.

The theme from Green Acres dances through my head as I type this column. Eddie Albert’s “the choirs” and “fresh air” resonate a lot more than Eva Gabor’s “the store” and “Time Square” for me at this point in my life than they did in my 20’s (and if you are too young to remember this song, get onto Youtube and do something worthwhile.). Back then, I was all about fast times and out all night. These days I am more slow lane and asleep by eight.

The reason I mentioned taking things for granted – as I try to stay on target – is the recent addition of Malta’s one and only stoplight. Construction started on the bridge which connects east side to west side and I am already tired of the light. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the bridge needed the refurbishment and I am sure local businesses are enjoying the extra people and their business. At some point I will also pen an article about what exactly they are doing and when they will be done (it’s been a hair busy in the old news room lately.)

As in favor as I am of all the construction going on around town (welcome to town, water project folks) the stoplight is driving me nuts. It’s not even the waiting game at the spotlight that gets my dander up, but rather something that is my own doing. Each and every time I go through that light (and I have never approached it while it was green) I forget something I need. First I went to eat at Westside Café, pulled into the lot, and figured out I had forgotten my wallet. Back through the light I went. The next time, I was delivering newspaper to the businesses out there, got through the light that way, flipped a U-turn and then forgot to drop papers off at the Edgewater. Urg! The last time, I was on my way to pick up my daughter at school, got through the light and then looked at the car’s gas gauge…sitting on “E.”

I remember back in the good old days (three or so weeks ago) when I could just turn around and get what was once forgotten in two shakes. This traffic light has me at my wits end and if you know me you know those wits weren’t very long to begin with. I will manage, but I now realize that I took the no stop light deal the city has with its residents for granted.

Lastly, and I should have written more about this, slow your butts down when driving. There is a mixed bag of folks around town who are both in favor and against the newly installed speed bumps in our fair town. If people would just slow down and pay attention to walkers and bikers, there wouldn’t be a need for the bumps. Are you speeders in a big hurry to get to the stoplight? Ease up!

“Green acres, we are there…dunt, dunt.”