Big Ol' Jet Fuel Tanker

What a morning yesterday.

I left for work at the usual time, around 6:30 AM. I got onto the interestate to find the usual, pleasant, lighter than average Monday volume. I was focused, I knew that I had a lot to accomplish before Tuesday, that my friend Todd was flying in and we'd meet for lunch in the city, and that the long awaited Tom Waits show was right around the corner on Tuesday evening.

So lots to do, lots to be excited about.

Until...

The traffic report, voiced as always by the velvety Cpt. Herb Emory, excitedly announced "We've got a RED ALERT on the WEST expressway."

Have you ever known a red alert to be good? But when cpt. Herb whips out the Red Alert, he means business.

Overturned fuel tanker. Overturned JET fuel tanker.

So my commute into the city was blocked, I was stuck, and there was really no easy way out.

I patiently listened to Willie, and occasionally flipped back to the traffic report, DENIED a number of those morons who think they can use the emergency lane to their advantage, and eventually made my way to the Thorton Rd. onramp.

Here in Austell, we discover a new breed of driving moron. The "I'm going to block the intersection and I don't care if the light turns red" moron. Grr. So about four redlights and a state trooper intervention later, I make it back onto the interstate, heading back west with only two or three cars along with me, speed limit or stronger and making great time!

I got back home, took a deep breath, and decided to work at home, where I was fairly productive.

Todd very kindly agreed to meet me at the nearest Marta station, and he arrived well after the accident was cleared.

Later in the day, I was very glad to be at home. I learned that there was a potential bomb in midtown, not too far from where I work.

Turns out, a robot bomb sniffer and several hours of blocked streets and police effort later, it was...a prop some advertising company had left lying around. Genius.

IT has been a very strange and sad few days in the Atlanta area. We have been taken aback by the murder on the Silver Comet Trail, jet fuel, fake bombs.

Tom Waits is coming. The moon must be blue.