Kids in traffic

You're enjoying the warm summer air. It's moist and pungent--there must be a dense population of exotic, flower-bearing trees in the vicinity. The car is running smoothly, and maybe you're sipping on a tasty fruit beverage. Either way, you've been lulled into a false sense of security. A million variations of catastrophic events are not running through your head, you aren't squishy, you won't break, and it won't hurt when the car collapses and traps you inside. Because those things don't happen, and instead of a terrible car wreck destroying your life in under 10 seconds, a wall of traffic slows you down until you're no longer moving. The air doesn't smell so sweet, and you feel sweaty against the car's leather upholstery. Confusion and terror set in. Sticky windows, roof-tops, smog and no way out. An accident? A collision? A spill of corrosive liquids, a cat, dog, deer, box, baby--on the road? Is it your fault? Did your parents guide you down the wrong road, are you prepared for the long wait ahead, and will you ever make it past the unforeseen obstacle? 15 minutes later, the traffic lifts and you're on your way. Your hair blows in the wind, you are free to move forward in your journey. However, you can't stop thinking about the traffic jam. Even when you manage to put it out of your mind, your path is still determined by those hours spent in traffic.