WEBVTT

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Another aspect of time
is trying to carve out

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a little moment in which you
stand away from the flow.

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Can you do that?

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Can you find a realm of
freedom from the push forward?

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And this-- there
are two of these

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and the first one
is about someone

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who thinks he's succeeded.

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It's called "At
the Post Office."

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You might not have
recognized me this afternoon

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if you'd seen me standing
calmly in line for over an hour

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to send you a gift
for Christmas.

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Instead of berating myself for
not coming sooner and avoiding

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the Christmas rush, I
seem to be standing just

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where I wanted to stand with a
good view of the serious clerk

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at window two as he
gave himself to his work

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with unflagging courtesy.

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What patience he showed
to the gray haired couple

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while they loudly
explained that the big box

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they heaved to the
counter contained

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a tricycle for their
grandson, Humphrey,

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five years old and
sickly who could

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use more exercise in the sun.

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There I was absorbed in
noting how carefully he

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explained their options for
shipping as if they were

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his only customers of the day.

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Do you find it hard to
believe that I took pleasure

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in witnessing a performance
that meant a delay of an hour

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in my agenda?

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I'm surprised myself.

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If I'd found an hour
like it two days ago,

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I wouldn't have been
so curt in my note

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declining the invitation
I wrote you about

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to compose an ode on the new
bridge across the Niagara.

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I'd have taken the
time to explain

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exactly why it seemed wrong to
praise a feat of engineering.

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At a moment, the country is
starved for signs of spirit.

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Or if that sounded too
pious or self-important,

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I would suggest that I
lack the insight required

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to view the bridge as
a symbol of something

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larger than cross-border trade
and wider markets of the future

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open to more and
more of the same.

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But why dwell on
yesterday's failure

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when I can dwell
on this afternoon's

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gift of a fresh perspective.

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Maybe you'll be convinced
if I include here

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a few more pertinent details.

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So I'll mention the moment
when the grandparents

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passed to the clerk a glossy
photograph of their grandson.

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I wish you'd seen him
holding it to the light.

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He studied it as if it might
help him confirm his reasons

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for leaving his bed
on a frosty morning,

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pulling his parka on,
shoveling his driveway.

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And driving to work
under a heavy sky.

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Maybe I'll add a page describing
his nod of judicious thanks

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and his quiet smile.

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The longer this letter
lasts, the stronger

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the evidence that my
breakthrough this afternoon has

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been extended into the evening.

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I hope you read it in one of
the quiet intervals you always

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welcome so you can
appreciate how eager I

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am to keep the moment going,
how reluctant to be moving on.

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