Aurel's laurels

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These three are by Matthew

From Costo here:


















What's the difference between a sunrise and a sunset? Back in the days before 9/11, when I went to England, I would get a seat as far forward as possible. At least twice, I asked the stewardess if I could go into the cockpit. I distinctly remember the sensation of chasing the setting sun. Another time I was in a very high building and felt that I could sense the earth rotating away from the setting sun. Here in Toronto, Cathy works with a woman, whose father always insisted on living East of where he worked. Thus he never had to drive into the sun, which, apparently, causes much concern and a few accidents. I am so tall, the car's roof usually screens the sun from my eyes. I was once charged with driving across a crosswalk, without stopping for a pedestrian who wanted to cross. The traffic, that morning, was crawling along very slowly. I claimed in court that we all advanced so slowly towards the cross walk, that I could not see the pedestrian behind the other cars, and also that I was so tall that I could not see the flashing X above the crosswalk. The judge let me go. Another time...well, in fact every time I have been charged with a driving offence, I have gone to court to argue my side of the facts in dispute, sometimes in the judges' chambers. I have found that almost all magistrates seem to welcome this. Their days must otherwise be so boring. When I was poor, I disputed parking fines, pleading that whereas their cost was painful, but easily paid by employed people, to the indigent they were overly onerous, (sounds good doesn't it). Only once a judge barked at me, "We are not on 'The Price is Right', you will either pay the full fine, or face further consequences". All the others would politely ask me if I could pay ten or fifteen dollars, instead of thirty. All this turned out to be a very poor example for one of my sons, who never paid any fines and, it seemed, only ever went to court to explain why he had not been in court before. He ended up losing his licence all together. I forget why. Boxing day, for the unacquisitive, must be the slowest day of the year. My household are all out or asleep.