Car Pool Log: 2007 05-17

Dark gray, Voyager minivan, grayish blue interior. A portion of the backseat was folded down to reveal a carseat in the interior of the cushion. Had trouble finding an appropriate seatbelt.

Hanging from the rearview mirror was an orange flag, or banner, with gold tassels sewn to the bottom. Printed on the banner was an om, bookended by two symbols that looked like pitchforks and Indian writing below.

On the Driver’s side of dashboard was a sunbleached illustration of two men, one with a white beard and the other with a black beard. They both had dark eyelashes and perfectly shaped eyebrows. Both also wore headdresses of different kinds. The illustration was on a card that stood up, facing Driver.

Cassettes, both white and clear, along with numerous pens crowded a cubby. On the radio was a collection of Indian torchsongs with sitar and synthesizer.

Stickered to the dashboard, above the tapedeck, was a May 2007 calendar. The calendar featured a chiropractic practice in gold lettering on a black background. Their logo was of a pair of hands delicately holding onto a gold spinal column as if it were lifted from the body and raised to the light for inspection.

A cup of coffee without a lid in a metal travel mug, steam rising from the cup. Three or four empty Styrofoam cups.

Numerous empty water bottles rolled around the backseat. Driver had a mechanical device that could’ve been a car-jack. A red sweatshirt underneath the passenger’s seat. Between the front seats: a newspaper, a towel, a black canvas Sun Microsystems bag.

Driver was on a handless cellphone and sipped his coffee. He wore a black leather jacket with two red stripes down the length of the arms. At the intersection of Howard and Fremont the vehicle in front failed to make a left on a green light. Driver honked the horn.