Traffic Light Thought - Death at the lights

Traffic is worse than usual, school are back after the holidays and it’s been raining all night. I’m sitting gazing at a red traffic light, at the front of the queue, when in the corner of my eye I see something head across the road.

Didn’t wait for the red, didn't press the button for the crossing, just picked a gap in the crossing traffic and took off. Where were the parents? Nobody else around to stop it but then it’s too late.

The driver had no chance, it’s struck with a glancing blow, and a small body is flung across the road. With luck it would have survived, but the odds are against it. The final blow, a large SUV coming the other way, crushed into the asphalt, just another victim of the mighty automobile.

In 15 seconds, while my light was red, a tiny butterfly fluttered by and died.

It’s strange what you notice on the way to work.