Elaine and I carpooled together today for the first time in several weeks. Our schedules had not overlapped, so we had a lot to catch up on.
She might need a ride later on today to catch public transit to the airport, which I'm more than happy to provide. Of course, I have my own self-interest at heart. I may ask her to pick me up at the repair shop where my car will be serviced for the day, or to give me a ride all the way home because I didn't have my car at all that day. [I usually drive to her house because she's on my way to work.]
Forget the selfishness, we have become friends, and friends do favors for friends. There is the unspoken expectation that friends trade favors. Even if she NEVER pays me back or I stay in the black ink of our "favor bank," that's fine too. I'm happy to help her out.
The ONLY way carpools last is when the carpoolers like each other, or, at the very least, can stand each other. I've had to stop carpooling with people who are too loud, too late or too self-centered. They are far outnumbered by the carpool partners I've met and shared life stories with, laughed and keep in touch with.
Non-carpoolers don't understand the silver interiors that come with the best fellow carpoolers. You have to experience it to become a believer. To carpool, you take a risk that you might have to break up -- because it's a bad match, or your job situation changes. Carpooling is fluid and constantly changing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment