Ladybug on Board

Today I had to drive to the grocery store over in
a nearby town. I took the bypass - which is a name
I don't like since it makes me think of a bad heart.
I usually just refer to it as "the freeway," although
"freeways" don't exist here in The Land of O.

But, anyway, there we were, ol' Geo and I, positioned
in the slow lane just hitting our maximum speed of
60 mph. I had the radio on and was listening to some
violinist on the classical station. The fall colors were
casting an orange glow on the dashboard and the brilliant
blue sky was marred only by a few wisps of cloud.

I was enjoying my ride when, all of a sudden, I noticed something on my windshield.
Some kind of dot. I couldn't tell if it was inside the car or out because I can't see
diddly without my glasses anymore. I took off my sunglasses and fumbled around
for my eyeglasses to get a better look. It was a bug. A ladybug, to be exact.
Sitting there. Outside. On my windshield. Going 60 miles an hour.
Just sitting there.

I craned my neck forward and drove on, staring at it. I couldn't get over the fact
that it was there. I mean, what was holding it in place? It's little feelers were all
blown back on it's little head and I know it's little lips must have been all stretched
back from the G-force winds. Then, it occurred to me it might be dead. That it
must have died there and some bodily fluid leaked out and dried, effectively
gluing it to the window. I couldn't tell if it was breathing.

Meanwhile, the violinist is still playing like crazy. He's playing for all he's worth
and the music is getting more and more frenetic every minute. In fact, the music
is corresponding directly with my level of anxiety over the creature plastered to my
windshield. It was like watching some hideous nature documentary where you know
it's not going to end well for the animal because the music is so full of dissonants.

It's a good thing they don't have much traffic here in O because I was definitely
having a hard time paying attention. All the time I'm supposedly watching the
road I'm actually staring at this life or death drama playing out on my windshield
with wild musical accompaniment. I finally slowed down to 55, then 50 because
I didn't want the little bug to get swept away in what would amount to a
Category 10 hurricane in ladybug land.

I pulled off at my offramp, and not a moment too soon, if you ask me. I came
to a stop sign and then turned right. That's when the ladybug started moving.
SHE WAS ALIVE!!! Using her front legs she started cleaning her face. She
was grooming herself!! At this point I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd
turned to me and said, "God, I hate this commute. Is my hair okay?"

I parked my car and continued watching her. Very quickly she walked around
then flew away. I sat there thinking, "Did I just give a lift to a ladybug?" Based
on what I'd observed, the bug's behavior indicated that it knew exactly what it
was doing the whole time.

Then I had to bring myself back to the planet earth, figure out where I was and
what I was supposed to be doing there, etc. I tell you, it's a good thing I make
shopping lists because otherwise, what with all the adventure involved in getting
from here to there, I'd never remember what I went to the store for.