There, Back

This morning got off to a weepy start. NPR was playing 9/11 stories. A woman was describing the phonecall she received from her ex-husband and father of her kids. She didn't know what had happened until he called from the 103rd floor after the plane hit. She told of her reassurances that he would get out and his calm reply that he did not think he would. She explained her confusion whether or not to tell him that his daughter, who he believed to be at school, was actually at home that morning. She didn't know what she would tell her daughter if she were to hand her the phone. As her narrative progressed to the desparate conclusion that he was going to die, she became more tearful. Listening to her convey the horror and overwhelm of being a witness to someone waiting to die helped me understand why people jumped that day.

Right after that I switched to a morning show for some levity. One of the DJs was talking about her Nana and the obligation to call her and what a pain she could be. The other DJs immediately chimed in that once she didn't have her Nana, she would do anything to be able to hear her voice again. Of course that started me thinking about Nanny. I tried to conjure her voice in my head. How did she answer the phone again? What would she say? How would she say it? I wanted to call her and hear her say, "The car? How can you be calling me from the car? What is this 'cell phone' you're talking about?" in a deeply suspicious way. I missed her horribly in that moment and started crying again.

All this before even making it onto the bridge. But luckily this did not set the tone for the day, which was fine and totally unremarkable.

The drive back was a lot more fun. Guns N Roses, minus everyone but Axl I think, is in town and they are getting more airplay because of it. Listening I was reminded of how disconcerting it was to realize that I really liked a band that was so gross. By gross I mean sexist, homophobic and generally infantile. From "It's So Easy:"

Ya get nothin' for nothin'
If that's what ya do
Turn around bitch I got a use for you
Besides you ain't got nothin' better to do
And I'm bored

Gross, right? But Appetite for Destruction is an amazing record. Why? Because it rocks.

So there you have it. One day and two commutes, couldn't be more different. Sometimes it's just like that.