I would give myself a B as a driver. Not bad. Not the best. I don't go fast enough for my wife's taste. Admittedly, I find myself going below the speed limit on occasion for no other reason than being adrift with thoughts. Lots of thoughts.
Hoping for more progress in the fight against hunger.
Longing for spring training to start.
Dreaming about the day I can actually hit the green on a long par-3, or any par-3, really.
Anyway, one thing that's never happened to me on the highway is being stopped for being in the left lane with no cars anywhere nearby on the right. Are you supposed to be in the right lane most of the time? Yes. Should you be pulled over in that situation? No.
A co-worker at the Food Bank recently shared a story about how he was stopped for driving in the left lane while traveling through Arkansas, with no other cars nearby.
People are also reading…
My co-worker is black. The two troopers were white. And they didn’t just stop him briefly with a polite warning. There was an interrogation before he was allowed to continue his travels. I know those troopers will never see this, but we all need to see this.
It is 2023. And still, here we are, in 1963.
Still with a long, long way to go.
Concrete heaven
On a happier note, Santa really delivered this last December. A $350 million gift. The Lincoln South Beltway.
They said it wouldn’t be ready until May. It is ready, and it is a thing of beauty. Don’t think I’ve been this excited since SouthPointe opened. OMG CHILI’S!! Remember?
I live near 70th and Yankee Hill, and I work near the airport, so admittedly and quite selfishly, the new 11-mile stretch of concrete heaven is a little more special for me.
And it’s fun to drive some of those 11 miles every day and think of what’s ahead in terms of development along the beltway. Exciting times. Won’t be long before the term “Lincoln Metro” comes into play. We are cruising.
Hearts for Hamlin
My favorite Tweet of 2023 so far comes from Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who most of us thought was not going to make it on that Monday night in Cincinnati a few weeks ago:
“Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart. Watching the world come together around me was truly an amazing feeling…”
Yes, we still have a long, long way to go, but the love from everywhere for Hamlin means something. Something pretty cool. A miracle, really.
John Mabry
John Mabry, VP for Fundraising and Engagement at the Food Bank of Lincoln, must confess he isn’t as excited about Chili’s as he once was. He can be reached at johnmabry47@gmail.com
