Car Pool Log: The End

That’s the summer 2006 installment of the Car Pool Log. Starting on Tuesday, September 5th I’ll be taking the campus shuttle from Oakland to San Francisco. Then, during the winter break the Car Pool Log will begin again, sometime in the middle of December, break again for the holidays and then back up after the New Year.

Car Pool Log: 2006 09-01

Silver Jeep. KFOG on the radio; Rolling Stones: “Paint It Black,” Ricki Lee Jones. Driver tapped her fingers on the stirring wheel in time with the music. Golf Magazine on the floor in the backseat. A Starbuck’s bag with Driver’s lunch and a blue bottle filled with water. A green-light picture of the car on the dashboard.

Driver asked Second Passenger if BART was going to be running a weekday schedule with the closer of the bridge this weekend. Second Passenger said she was unsure.

As we made out way along the on ramp Driver informed us that she was going across Market. Second Passenger said something and they proceeded to have a conversation which I was unable to hear.

“I guess I could drop you on Montgomery and you could walk to the Montgomery Station.” Driver said.

“No, that’ll be fine,” Second Passenger said.

“And where would you like to go, sir?” Driver asked.

I was taken aback by being called “sir”.

“The intersection at Howard and Fremont will be fine with me,” I said.

Car Pool Log: 2006 08-31

White Toyota Corolla. Met Ashley, David and Paul at the corner of Clifton and Broadway by the Oakland campus. Dried yellow flower in the heating vent; a small stereo with a cassette tape, no door; a small, plastic tambourine; an empty Starbucks cup.

Paul played with the tambourine, singing “Hare Krishna.” I asked him if it belonged to him and said that he found it back there.

“We were thinking of stopping for coffee,” David said.

“I have so much stuff to do so I need to get there as soon as possible if that’s alright,” I said.

“Okay,” Ashley said. “We’ll just get coffee there.”

Car Pool Log: 2006 08-30

Light gold, Subaru SRS Forester station wagon. In the change gully, by the stick-shift, there were beach rocks, shells and a feather positioned as if enshrined. A blue sticker on the windshield that said “Parking Permit” in white letters. A crack in the windshield running horizontal just about the dashboard. A pink disposable coffee cup in the cupholder.

Driver didn’t turn on the radio in the beginning. I sat there wondering if she was going to be a talker, thinking that the radio and/or music was a distraction from human-to-human contact. I concocted a dialogue in my head about how other cultures don’t necessarily consider verbal communication to be the height of politeness or connection.

On the bridge I heard a sudden and scratchy voice come from behind me. My first thought was that it was Second Passenger but what he was saying, and the sound of his voice, wasn’t making sense. Driver had actually turned on the radio to KQED and the voice was of an announcer. A discussion about clean energy sources.

As we headed into the Treasure Island tunnel Driver turned off the radio and asked if any of us had seen the sign about the Fremont exit being closed.

“I’m sorry but I wasn’t paying attention,” I said with a smile.

“That’s okay,” she said cheerfully. “It would be really bad if they closed that exit though.”

“Yes, it would,” Second Passenger said.

“People must be already out for the long weekend,” Driver said.

Second Passenger got on his cell phone:

“Hi… How are you?... Everything okay?... Good… Yeah… Okay… I’ll see you later then… Bye…”

The intersection of Howard and Fremont was practically deserted; few people crossing the street and no traffic.

Car Pool Log: 2006 08-29

Black Volvo SRS station wagon. Car was dusty with pollen and dirt. The interior had bits of leaf debris. In the cupholder: a blue and chrome travel mug. Driver wore sunglasses and black gloves with the fingers cut-off. KQED on the radio. It has been one year to the day since Hurricane Katrina hit the shores of New Orleans. Announcer was mentioning the statistics on renovation and lack of recovery.

Car Pool Log: 2006 08-28

White Toyota Tacoma pick-up (see CPL: 2006 08-02, 15, 17). Got into the backseat; same book of maps underneath driver’s seat and in the pouch behind passenger’s. Driver sped the car up in order to close the passenger side door. Keychain has a mini-tool and a red and blue key. An apple in-between the driver’s and passenger’s seat. Same cellphone on the pad; collection of papers on the dashboard; a new book, a Signet Classic perhaps, unable to read title.

Adam Corolla on the radio talking about last night’s Emmy’s and how he doesn’t like Conan O’Brien.

Second Passenger was reading “Gulliver’s Travels.”