Thursday, July 03, 2008

Hot Thursday Question

Muggy, nasty day...but an early end to the work week, so, overall, good.

Long, hot drive back from Lincoln City this afternoon, with Highway 18 motionless and jammed with desperate long-weekenders fleeing to the coast. I've been commuting this road for the past 90 days or more and the drive has become so freaking boring that I have taken to blasting the radio, playing silly car games...anything to pass the time.

So today I looked at the line of traffic going the other way. And noticed something, well, odd.

About every twentieth car (or van, whatever) had a pair of bare feet propped up against the windshield, or on the dashboard. And, almost invariably, (once I passed the first three I started counting, which says something for how truly bored I was) the person lounging behind these feet was female. I think out of the probably seventy-three bare feet (counting singles, of course) I thing probably three guys got into the act, even including the one person that I frankly wasn't sure about.

So...is this bare-feet-on-the-window a woman-thing? Is there something in the female spirit that says: long drive, hot day, let's shuck the flops and air those girls out? I know I don't do it...are us guys just too inhibited to prop our dogs on the dash, or what? Is it that most guys insist on driving, leaving the shotgun seat to the smarter sex? Is it a question of space between the shotgun seat and the dashboard? Or an issue of flexibility? What? I have no clue. Another of life's mysteries, like liquid soap and the appendix.

Anyway...time to head home. Hope you all have a thunderous 7/4!

6 comments:

Linda Dove said...

is this bare-feet-on-the-window a woman-thing?

Yes.

We take better care of our feet than you all do. It's more fun to run them out when the nails are clipped, and painted pink--or red--and the dead skin is sloughed off.

walternatives said...

I agree with YKWYAW but will add that we like showing off our gams whilst getting a little sun.

Enjoy the long weekend with the fam.

Lisa said...

I'm perplexed. Whenever I see it I'm offended. I think, what slobs Americans are. It's all good and well to prop up on the beach in in a park, but I resent pulling up to someone at a light and having feet stuck out my way.

FDChief said...

I will agree that, in general, you keep your feet neater and prettier than ours, and that showing them off is a good thing on the whole.

As far as Lisa's comment, I like hands, and feet: when well tended they are often very attractive and expressive. So I don't usually have a problem with the barefoot traveler toes-in-my-face thing. But I do find that, as usual, many people don't know where to draw the line. If, as YK points out, you have icky feet, please keep 'em in the carrying case. On the way home from work through SE Portland I can't tell you how many really nasty instep-tats, ankle-tats, grubby soles and/or ankles, and that was just the MEN!!

So I guess my question is answered. Thanks. You gals rock.

Unknown said...

I can't keep the wife's toeprints off the windshield for long when we're driving. Doesn't matter if it's sunny or not. They just don't go out the window, though - only greenhouse sun for those piggies.

atomic mama said...

I kind of sort of agree with Lisa. I don't usually like it when I see it. Although I am guilty of having done it myself.

Yes, women do the foot-on-dashboard thing. Men do the shirtless driving thing, of which I also disapprove...