The van in front of me was pink and gray. I don’t think it started its life out as pink and gray. I think it used to be maroon and white, but over the years the sun bleached the maroon to pink and the dirt darkened the white to gray. It was driving slowly on I-80 heading toward the 7^th East exit. Usually when I’m driving this route, the traffic is running about 35 mph, so a pink and gray van driving 55 in a 65 zone doesn’t bother me at all. That’s difference between Saturday and a weekday: I was happy to be stuck behind a van going 55.

The gym that we have a membership at has no convenient location near my home. I joined this gym because it was so close to my work that I could just go on my lunch hour, but the weekends I have to choose. Do I drive for 15 minutes to Cottonwood or do I drive for 15 minutes up to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Bountiful? There’s nothing in the heart of Salt Lake.

I used to go to the Cottonwood location on the weekends. The floor plan was very similar to the one in Bountiful, so I didn’t need anyone to show me around. The only problem was that the treadmills weren’t as nice there and I could never find a remote to change the televisions at that one. It didn’t take me long to just start going to the Bountiful location just because it was easier. I didn’t have to learn how to use the different machines. It was the same place that I went to at lunch every day.

The one in Bountiful is technically further away from my home than the one in Cottonwood, but the drive takes about the same amount of time. It’s either 15 minutes on the freeway or 15 minutes on the city streets. Either way it’s the same for me, it’s just more miles on the Beetle.

So, Saturday, I was driving my normal drive home from work, except that I had just come from the gym. I was stuck behind an ancient pink and gray van, but I had that post-exercise euphoria that kept me from passing it or even being bothered by it. I just looked at the van, fascinated that it didn’t have a “Keep On Truckin'” bumper sticker on it. I noticed that they changed the perpetual Bud Light billboard. It now reads, “All light beers are low-carb. Choose on taste.” All beer tastes like hell to me, so I guess I’ll stick with water.

Nothing in this world is for certain. Nothing in this world stays the same. The maroon and white van of the seventies is still running, but it has faded and grayed. The billboard that always advertises Bud Light is now telling me that they are low-carb instead of trying to align themselves with the Utah Jazz. The road that I drive everyday is clear and open instead of clogged with traffic. Everything around me is changing, no matter how much I might want it to stay the same. I guess I better change too.