Today I had the audacity to pass a state trooper on 287 by going five over the usual speed limit, which is pocket change in Jersey, where everyone and their mother is racing each other at 85 with more weaves than a BET primetime special. I think I was trying to provoke the state trooper or see if he'd pull me over if I was a minority. After all, that girl in Delia's could've sworn I looked at least part black.

I don't see it.

So yeah, I got late out of an appointment in Somerville and rushed home to change into adequate work clothes. I then hopped into my car and gunned it to New Brunswick to give my sister back her cell phone, since she had class at 5:35. Of course, after getting through Hillsborough, I hit the 25 mph zone of Franklin, where random people hop out of nowhere, and cars cause you to swerve when they attempt dangerous left hand turns. The worst possible thing happened -- a school bus pulled right in front of me and proceeded to make a stop every two or three blocks for at least twenty blocks.

I spent a good fifteen minutes watching kids saunter and swagger slowly off the bus, and their distinct disregard for time wasn't the only thing that bothered me. About ten percent of these kids looked like normal high school students, with a sizable backpack indicating a decent workload, a good thirty percent carried around bags that probably was comparable to the bag and books I carried around in the fourth grade, and the vast majority of these kids just weren't carrying anything at all. Do kids really go to school to learn anymore? I wouldn't be surprised if they're handing out diplomas like candy nowadays.

Although I would've liked to have a diploma made out of candy. Knowing my eating habits, it wouldn't have lasted through the hat tossing, that's for sure. It probably would've had a few good bites in it for good measure on the walk back to my seat.