Don'T Forget To Floss! Poem by Jim Yerman

Recently on a warm spring day I had the chance to see
Behaviors that might seem innocent or charming when taken separately.

A teenager was texting, fingering out all kinds of commands
One young man was reading...another ate a burger with two hands.

A man worked on his computer...another was talking on his phone
One lady put on make-up while another handed her dog a bone.

A business woman was eating yogurt or something out of a jar
Another woman was flossing her teeth while a man played his guitar.

Taken independently these behaviors don't seem too bizarre
But these people were all observed driving...yes behind the wheel of their car.

Did something happen since I learned to drive? Has the world become surreal?
How is it possible to safely drive without at least one hand on the wheel?

What have we become? What strange boundary have we crossed
To be in such a hurry that we cannot stop to floss...

That we think we can be safe behind the wheel of our car
While texting, eating, drinking or playing the guitar?

If these bizarre behaviors aren't enough I find myself now knowing
That I'm often watching what they're doing and not looking where I'm going.

I pray for the day that cars run by themselves or we all have a chauffeur
Until then it seems we've all become accidents just waiting to occur.

There's a movement to raise the speed limit allowing us to drive faster with more power
Great! Now people will be picking their teeth and guitar at 70 miles per hour.

A quick question to think about the next time you're about to floss and drive
Will it matter to anyone if your teeth are clean...if you don't get there alive?