To the Left, Always to the Left

File this one under: Small pleasures.

My son usually takes the bus to school, but on Thursdays he has an activity that requires us to bring him to the building early. So I hadn't had to drive off the school grounds at 8:30 a.m.--a particularly busy time of day--for a week. Although leaving the property is no real problem (there's usually a traffic cop stationed at the exit at that time of day), the next left turn is generally difficult, requiring as it does waiting for all the straight-aheaders to cross the intersection while I sit anxiously with my blinker on, getting ready to make a zooming left turn as the light turns red.

So imagine my surprise and delight this morning to discover that the town fathers/mothers/legal guardians of Lexington had seen fit to install a -- wait for it! -- LEFT TURN ARROW at the intersection. I actually got to make the turn legally and safely without worrying about crunching a laggard straight-aheader. Saved time, saved stress.

Come to think of it, maybe that's not such a small pleasure after all.