Tunnel Tunes

       TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH.

            TUNNEL TUNES

       The road running past our
development goes up a hill, through
the woods, and leads to a rather
unique structure.
        It is a double arch tunnel.
There are railroad tracks on top.
One of the arches covers a mountain
stream. The other is for traffic.
        But the roadway beneath the
tunnel is very narrow. There's no
more for cars to pass each other
so you've got to go through one
way at a time.
        Tradition mandates that a
driver entering the tunnel sound
his or her horn so drivers approaching
from the other direction can be alerted
someone's already coming through.
        I sometimes walk on another
road nearby and have discovered that
any opportunity to sound a car horn
is not only welcomed by most drivers
it is a chance to "lay on that horn!"
       Some just sound the blast from
the moment that start into the tunnel
to the second they come out the other
side. Others, perhaps a bit more
musical, seem to sound random "beeps"
as they proceed.
        It must be especially entertaining,
although "entertaining" may not exactly
be the right word, for a few homeowners
who live on the east side of the underpass.
You see, even though headlights would
be just as effective, drivers, most of them
men, see the need to continue their
mobile symphony even as their pass
through the tunnel at night!
       It's times like this when I miss the
specialty horn I had installed in my old
jeep. I think both other drivers and
neighbors would be delighted to hear
the strains of "Take Me Out To The
Ballgame," or "Dixie" as I passed through
the arch! I had about 50 different selections
so I could do a whole show as I passed
back and forth.
      Hope they hear you coming...and that
all your NEWS is good!