Signs of self-expression

Tal and I have been back in Edgefield since Wednesday night. As we go about settling into to home once again -- from the laundry to the lawn, from the mail to the mutts, we talk about the trip with happy satisfaction, recalling moments, scenes, encounters.

The trip's destination was Shining Falls Lodge, of course, and the fishing on Family Lake in Manitoba's Adikaki Provencial Park. But, those ten serene days in cabin four were preceeded and followed by a total seven nights on the road and 3900 miles in the car, a significant amount of time to be sure and absolutely an important part of the entire experience.

I read bumper stickers and license tags with great interest, realizing along the way how expressive they are of personality and position. I have a terrible memory and refrained from writing while driving, so those I actually recall had quite an impact.

On the conservative side was this bumper sticker on a trailor hauling cattle, a take off on PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals): People Eating Tasty Animals.

And, this one in the back window of a pickup truck: Gun Control Means Using Both Hands.

This observation, leaning liberal, we spied on the rear of a Suberu Forester: At least the war on the environment is going well.

Personalized license tags are rightly referred to as vanity plates. I think of my own: VTS92 -- the year I graduated from seminary and the seminary's initials. Here are two we noticed and discussed as the miles rolled along: Similar to my plate was UT PHD 95. How about that for specific information about the driver? And, XCUZ U on a large Cadillac which, by the way, was passing everything on the road.

We both know there were others, some more clever, but they're stubbornly not coming to mind. Suffice it to say that we were gladly entertained along the way by all these bits of self-expression.

One last thought: I think one could, in general, make a case for which bit of self-expression might appear on specific vehicle makes and models. Another time, perhaps.