someday I'll be driving across the bridge with my young son or daughter and I'll say

"you know, when daddy was a young man they used to block an entire lane with orange cones...I can't remember a day when the left or right lane wasn't blocked...not a work man in sight...it was almost like they blocked it off just to make people tardy for work..."

and them "tartar sauce? like fish-sticks? like mommy makes?"

and me "nono, 'tardiness,' it means arriving late to wherever you're going"

and my son or daughter will look up at me and say

"why daddy? why would the mean men want to do that?"

and me incredulously "I don't know kiddo, it was a different time..."