City Life and What We Take For Granted - The Men and Women Still Driving

Center City (WPVI) -- If you were standing in the vicinity of 23rd and Lombard around 4:00 this afternoon, you would have heard a very high voice yell "BUS" BUS!!" My son, who doesn't miss a thing, saw the SEPTA bus two blocks away and started yelling.

He loves the big machines!

As the bus got closer, he waved like crazy. He isn't just into the vehicles, he loves the people who are driving them. When the woman behind the wheel waved back, he lost his mind!

A day earlier, it was a similar scene, but with a garbage truck. He pointed and yelled something that in his mind, and mine now, means "garbage truck!" The driver put on a big smile, gave a wave, and blew the horn.

When I was a child, growing up at 12th and Pine, my best friend lived across the street. Pine was a route for the fire trucks racing to emergencies. When we heard the sirens, we'd run to our windows, press our noses to the glass and wave. When they waved back, it was breathtaking! These amazing people, driving amazing vehicles, working to help others, saw us and responded!! We felt so cool because they were so cool.

That's what my son thinks about the bus drivers, the garbage truck drivers, the mail carriers, everyone behind the wheel of a large truck or construction machine. He sees these men and women who are out there, working hard, doing cool things, and they see him and wave! Through his eyes, I see men and women who are keeping the city running - and who still have the time to make an excited two-year-old feel special.

It is always easy to be angry, grumpy and scared - and I am not criticizing anyone feeling any of those emotions, I'm there too. But, everyone behind the wheel who honks the horn, gives a big smile and waves is someone I want to hug and thank. In those two seconds, you're making my son lose his mind in joy, but you're also showing that you have happiness and optimism, and that is what we need right now.

Thank you.