Opinion

The question of the day definitely has to be 'Why?'

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Today we have but one, short, simple question: Why?

Why, why, why, why, why!

Lately I have found myself asking just that. Time and time again.

Of course, the smart-aleck answer to the why question is almost always "because." But the issues and incidents that have left us perplexed and wondering why defy logic and a legitimate answer.

For example, why, with all the signage and the barricades in place and the ongoing publicity local road projects have generated, are we still seeing semis meandering through town in areas they obviously don't belong? Why? You'd think that if you drive a vehicle for a living, you'd be more aware of the hazards and detours of your route than all the rest of us put together.

Why do so many drivers around here put on their brakes before they ever activate their turn signal? Why? Of course, that's providing they even use a turn signal at all, but that's another story. More how and when than why.

Why, pray tell, would a mother let her young child stand up in the grocery cart at the corner of the condiment aisle at Kroger? And then, when he tips the whole thing over and literally falls on his head, smack him just to add insult to injury. Why?

Why in the world do so many Greencastle drivers insist on driving the entire length of Shadowlawn westbound until it runs smack dab into North Jackson Street, only then to try and make a nearly impossible left turn to go south? Why?

Why would anybody in their right mind (granted now, that may be the key here) ever think it was a good idea to snort bath salts (or the nose candy de jour) to get high? Who was the first brainiac to suggest trying that?

Why, in its infinite wisdom, did the State of Indiana decide that smoking should be prohibited within eight feet of the door of any public business?

Not 10 feet. Not 15 or 20. Not even five, but eight? Really? Eight? Why? (Incidentally, I was at a restaurant the other night when a woman went out to smoke, abiding by the law, but then sat down in a chair and leaned back, literally tilting the chair back into the doorframe. What's the point?

Why does the stoplight at Fawnview Lane and Indianapolis Road give southbound traffic a green left-turn arrow about 90 percent of the time? I swear, the remaining 10 percent when no arrow appears always seems to be when I'm the first car and I nearly turn in front of the oncoming traffic that also has a green light. Not why, but whoa!

So, why ask why, you might ask.

This mission started in late July when after another fair parade, I found myself asking why people seem to think it's OK to sit and watch the parade in someone else's front yard and then leave all their cups, bottles and wrappers behind. Why?

And besides, the confounding nature of such things just begs the question "Why?"

Like these old standbys ....

Why do people go to McDonald's and order a Big Mac, super-sized fries and a Diet Coke?

Why do people say it's "colder than hell" outside when from what we hear, hell is helaciously hot.

Or the George Carlin classic: Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?

The only answer to any of it has to be ... "because."

Why? Because absolutely no one has a real answer.