One of my favorite pleasures is listening to music. It doesn't get better then when I am in the car...alone and I can turn up the volume to my heart's content. Monday was a cold, dreary day and I needed Paul McCartney's voice to soothe my sadness.
I was listening to The Beatles Revolver album, which I never actually purchased. It is a remnant from my husband's bachelor days. It belonged to one of his roommates and being the fan that I am, it never made it back.
I was travelling on Lebanon Church Road in West Mifflin when I came to a red light. I must have been really into a particular song because I did not know I had company. The music must have been so loud that the driver next to me could hear it too.
I am very conscious to not subject nearby motorists to my musical jukebox. I think I have pretty awesome taste in music and I would love to start my own musical revolution but I am realistic - there are people out there that do not enjoy the occasional tune by Barry Manilow or Gary Lewis and Playboys.
So with that being said during the warmer months I usually keep my volume at a decent level. But in the winter time, windows are up and all bets are off. My musical bubble is like a personal security blanket which I shared the other day with a stranger.
Just when the French horn solo wrapped up in the track "For No One" I noticed the driver in the car next to me was trying to get my attention. I thought he wanted to get in front of me when the light turned green so I nodded and waved him forward. I looked up to see if the light had changed but it was still red. I looked back at the driver and he was now motioning for me to roll down my window.
I always think the best of people and while common sense dictates better judgment I rolled my window down. For a split second an element of fear crossed my mind but I truly did not think this Dave Grohl look alike would harm me.
"That's the best song on that album," he says just as the light turns green. As we begin to accelerate he continues sharing his feelings about the album. I am trying to be polite and I genuinely wanted to hear what he had to say, but I also wanted to avoid getting into an accident.
Our conversation only lasted a few seconds and ended with me giving him a thumbs up. Which by the way I never do, but I wanted to incorporate as many non-verbal methods of communicating as possible since I was trying to keep my eyes on the road.
I had to chuckle as I arrived at my destination about the moment I had just shared with that man. In my 25 years of driving I have never had a conversation about music at a red light. It made me feel a little weird that I had accidentally invited someone into my musical bubble but in the end I am glad it happened.
We come in contact with people we don't know everyday. Usually we are too caught up in our phones, our lives, in driving safely, to really notice our similarities. To get through these trying times it might be a good idea to reach out and let people know, "Hey, I get you." No commitment - just a quick acknowledgement and be on your way.
I'll probably never see that guy again but now when I listen to Revolver I know I'll remember that conversation - yeah, the one that almost resulted in a call to Flo the Progressive lady. But I'll remember how the world got a little smaller and how music can persuade us (if only for a few seconds) to come together.
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