The morning commute can set the tone for the day. If it is a ball-busting, white-knuckling hassle, filled with stops and starts and inexplicable traffic jams and angry road ragers, it’s hard to get to the office with a cheerful attitude.
Lately my drives to work have been like that. I take I-670 into Columbus, and for months the Third Street exit to the downtown area has been closed. As a result, all downtown traffic has been funneled into alternative routes.
My alternative route, frankly, sucked. I felt like Luke Skywalker following Wedge down into the trench of the Death Star as I banked into a sharp left turn onto I-71, then maneuvered through a narrow cement canyon as cars tried to merge in from the left. I kept wondering when one of the speeding cars ahead would nick the temporary concrete barriers channeling the detour traffic and go tumbling off into oblivion, like one of the doomed Rebel X-wing fighters. Fortunately, there was no Darth Vader lurking nearby — just frustrated commuters dodging the orange cones and dealing with constantly changing traffic patterns on their way to work.
This week I noticed that “closed” sign had been removed from the Third Street exit. Yesterday, with hope in my heart, I bypassed the dreaded detour and gave Third Street a shot. Sure enough, it was open, and I sailed regally into downtown with a happy sigh. Of course, I didn’t see any changes that would justify closing the exit for months in the first place — but I’m just happy it’s open again.
Amazing how one little sign can change your day for the better.