Objects in the Mirror

As I was driving home last night, I noticed a strange sound that seemed to be coming from my glove compartment. The first thing that came to mind, of course, was "why the hell is it called a 'glove compartment', anyway? When was the last time anyone stored their gloves in there? It should be called 'old sticks of gum - random change - three year old oil change records - compartment', but whatever", but that soon passed as the odd noise continued.

Slig-a-slig-a-slig-bffffff went the glove compartment.

I alternated my stare from the traffic in front of me to the glove box.

Slig-slig-bffff-bfff-SLOG continued the glove box.

Then nothing.

Just as I had convinced myself that I'd imagined everything, there was a almost inaudible Poof! sound, followed immediately by a bright flash of bluish-white light that shone through the keyhole and edges of the glove box.

That's odd, I thought to myself as I almost rear-ended the car in front of me that had so cavalierly stopped at the red light ahead of us.

Good, I thought, I can rummage through the glove compartment while the light is red and see what's --

But, as is always the case whenever I want a stop light to stay red, it immediately changed green. The car behind me, furthermore, set the all-time record for time lapse between light change and impatient honk: .03 seconds by my reckoning.

The search of the glove box would have to wait until I got home.