This morning on my driving rounds I daydreamed, part of my mind taking off in another direction while focusing automatically on the road.
Down River Road, Route 4 up to Burlington, behind a truck with winch and ball and hook held delicately (or so it seemed to me) in place. Uphill, I fell a bit behind, my mind’s eye with the other two locked on the simple ring that kept it from swinging out. But what if …
…it let go? I tried to gauge the distance of the arc, guessing height of the crane and swing of the heavy chain. I slowed down a little more. I visualized the snap of hook, the setting free, the uphill climb, the smashing of the ball and hook into my windshield. What would ducking do? Even mentally prepared with imagery, would I resist the urge to cringe? As we rounded a bend, I saw the angle change, the arc delivering its load directly to my steering wheel. I slowed some more.
At last an engineering plan unfolded; a different path to take. The single lane split into two and I swiftly stepped down and sped past the possibility. The alternate route was taken in my mind, the journey changed forever. I had, perhaps, escaped.
New Media Moment: Daydreams may well be the forerunner of New Media technology. The image just as transient; the decisions, just as vital.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
I don’t know about you, but doesn’t it sometimes frighten you how accurately we can create a mental image, complete with detailed graphic supporting evidence? The pictures we paint in our mind can sometimes be quite revealing.
“resist the urge to cringe”
I loved that. In relation to life, in general.
You’re giving Freud a run for his money.