On waiting peacefully

One by one, I am discovering the tiny gifts of being retired. This morning I had to take care of an expired car inspection sticker. The inspections are available only between 8 and 4 and it had always been a challenge to fit one into a workday. Today, I could have gone for mine at 8, or noon, or basically whenever I wanted. My day promised to be full, but there was nothing tied to any specific time. I arrived at the shop at 9:30 and the car was inspected, more or less, by a sixty-something man who could barely grunt his instructions because of a golf ball-sized wad of chewing tobacco in his right cheek. The inspection, though cursory, was leisurely to the point of "Is he killing time?" But I was  not due back at the office, so I was able to wait peacefully, even with some amusement, without fretting.

I hope to expand on that gift of not having to hurry.

(I've never wanted to write a novel, but for those friends of mine who hope to, here's a character for you……)