Friday, May 05, 2006

I wanna pay your to-o-o-o-oll

Now that I drive through toll booths every day I’m getting to know the toll-takers. Exiting from the turnpike in the morning I see this guy: stereotypical hairy, friendly Jersey guy. He wears sunglasses that reflect vast concrete lands and sky and a gold chain. When I drive up, I say Good morning. He says, How you doin,’ hon? When his line is long I go to the right of him where an oversized oompah loompah greets me and wishes me a good day.

Yesterday I spaced out and I missed my turnoff for the turnpike south. Exiting the turnpike too early, I went through a different passage entirely, eluding both my men, and asked for directions. The toll-taker was a woman. She directed me back to the turnpike south, after asking me where I was headed to see if there was a quicker way. Friendly, helpful, human. We bonded in the way that non-girly girls bond.

I was glad for this because I’d begun to wonder if I was just a flirt who had a way with oldish men I had no intentions with, charming them with sweet banter from a little girl who is not a little girl. Harmless, fortunately, with the booth-car barrier and the quick driving away. We part with a smile and subsist.

Conclusion: I'm not a malicious siren after all but rather a space cadet capable of golden social prowess when snack-sized social requirements are the fare.

A 40-something guy sits at a booth off the turnpike on my way home. He’s skinny and weathered and wears three silver rings in his left ear. His eyes sparkle light blue for infinite distance. I’m pretty sure he’s tapped in, turned on, however you want to put it. Yesterday when I drove through, he gave me a warm Hey of recognition, knowing eye contact and well wishes for a good night. I did the same.

It occurred to me as I was driving away that soon this would end. I’ve scheduled a day off work to register my car in New York, get a new license and such, after which I’m going to get the EZ-Pass.

All toll-taker communications will end then. There will be only driving fast past toll booths. No faces, no greetings, nothing. It made me long.

7 Comments:

Blogger kim said...

Awww. I hate endings like that, even if they are small. I was wondering how girly-girls bond though... Throw up together in the bathroom? Call another girly-girl a whore? Compliment their highlights?

2:35 PM  
Blogger Sara said...

I don't know how girly girls bond. I am alien, you pretty-hair whore.

(I'm trying to bond with you.)

2:29 PM  
Blogger Perfect Virgo said...

No tolls nor any EZ-Pass in the UK, we just sit in our metal boxes and sulk and glare at each other. Sometimes I hustle my big Yamaha between the lines and wave cheerily.

You write with astonishing clarity. All the words you use are recognizable yet I have never thought of putting them in this order myself. I have read on and off for a while and your astonishing lack of commenters is criminal but implies a well-kept secret.

10:04 AM  
Blogger Sara said...

Hello, Perfect Virgo. I recognize you from transience-land. Thank you very much. I'm flattered. And what perfect timing. I just arrived at work, frazzled and disgruntled after sitting in traffic due to rain and accident for nearly two hours. The willingness of so many people to sit in the metal boxes, crawling, escapes me.

10:21 AM  
Blogger glomgold said...

I've read reports before that tolltakers can earn quite a heft salary. About a decade ago the number was in the mid-$40's? Of course the sacrifice is probably years of your life eroded away by the toxic fumes. I hardly ever receive any friendly recognitions from people I encounter on a semi-daily basis. For instance supermarket cashiers, upon seeing me every time, quickly pretend they don't recognize me and put on an unfriendly face even if I act all smiley. The only exception may be that gay Black guy in that Shoprite (you must know if whom I speak). Oh and maybe immigrant workers.

12:37 PM  
Blogger glomgold said...

By the way, as the kids say, "EZPass is soo worth it" loss of human interaction be damned.

12:40 PM  
Blogger Sara said...

As soon as Jersey allows me to register my car in NY and I have a set license plate I'll get EZPass.

I think I'd rather have my office than a toll booth. Sometimes.

I'm not sure if I remember the Shop-Rite guy.

3:59 PM  

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