Talkin’ Turtle

So there I am, tooling past fields of gorgeous first cutting hay, over the creek, around the hedgerow on the way to the therapeutic riding barn. Beautiful day. Warm, sunny, low humidity, great to be alive. Up yonder I spot a box turtle crossing the road. Shell length is about six or seven inches, so maybe a young adult off on young adult business, but making predictably labored progress across the perilous asphalt. I am slowing my old Prius down, thinking to offer an assist to this worthy wayfarer, when the driver in the opposite lane beats me to it. He stops his white van, hops out, helps our terrapin friend to the culvert they were aiming for, and speeds along his way. I am happy all the way to the barn (another thirty miles) because of that gesture of good will from one travel to another. The whole incident lasted maybe twenty seconds, but an hour later, I am still full of the goodness of human nature, the magic of life on earth, and a bunch of other fairy dust. I put the Guy In…