More Signs Of The Times

So I'm on the way home the other day, and despite the fact that I live in the far, far suburbs of Chicago, I am, as is normal, making my way through the annoyingly heavy traffic as best I can.

Then, I come up behind a minivan, in the fast lane, holding up traffic. After a few minutes of extreme annoyance and a few utterances in the privacy of my own driving experience that I won't repeat in case children are reading this, I make my way around and past in the slow lane. What do you suppose I see? A woman--on a cell phone. A half mile or so further, I come up behind an SUV, in the fast lane, holding up traffic. I work my way around. Woman with small child, apparently engrossed in conversation. Another half mile or so, and you guessed it, another SUV--fast lane, holding up traffic. You guessed it, woman, cell phone, looking at the cell phone as if she doesn't know quite what to do with it. After that, another woman, another SUV, also in the fast lane--not doing anything in particular other than sitting in the fast lane where she doesn't need to be. I pass her, I get off at my exit, I see her get off behind me, I get into the right lane, and you guessed it, I see her in my rear view mirror, where else but in the left lane--going slower than the traffic in the right lane.

My tales of every day's commute are filled with such stories. I don't mean to demean the better half of society, as I have long had many female friends, a wife, a mother, and in short, know many women for whom I believe I have a high regard. Nonetheless, I cannot help but feel there is a pattern there somewhere!!!