Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Surreal Tollbooth

Usually I pass through the tollbooth without even noticing. I pay my $.75 and go on my way, somewhat annoyed at having to pay $.75 to drive, if I give it a second though at all. Today I saw something interesting.

After inching up in line and waiting my turn like a good little Wednesday morning driver, imagine my surprise as I hand my $.75 over to a man in tuxedo vest and tie. Not only was this guy dressed up like a French waiter, but he had slicked his hair back from his widow's peaked forehead, Eddie Munster style. He had all of his change sorted on the table above the cash drawer, quarters and nickels and dimes teetering precariously in super high stacks, like piles of gold before Scrooge McDuck. What makes this scenario quirky was that French McDuck Munster had the light off in his booth, and a candle lit next to all his stacks.

Maybe he was feeling blue, and needed some aromatherapy to cheer himself up. Or maybe he wanted to whack it with his other hand and needed some romantic moodlighting to help himself along. Maybe he was waiting for his girlfriend to come through his booth so he could give her a rose, or tickets to a show, or something for her birthday. I don't know.

What would have made this whole thing better is if he was wearing no pants. But I don't know that either. He said "thank you" in this deep, smooth voice as he handed me my quarter. I'll never forget that crazy morning in January...when the fog was so thick...and the toll men wore tuxes in the candlelight...

1 comment:

  1. it's a way to get more people to use the turnpike, of course that is an assumption as to what road you were on. it will spread by word of mouth, "Man, you just have to see this for yourself, you won't believe it!" You call him Jeeves and demand your Grey Pu Pon, that would be freakin sweet.

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