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Elegant Competence
Tuesday, Sept. 09, 2003, 8:32 a.m.
Driving into work this morning, I noticed a pick up truck pulled over on the side of the road. It had a ladder lashed to the top of a metal frame with landscaping tools inside. In the bed of the truck was a guy who looked to be about 16 who was tying the ladder back down; it must have come loose on the road. For some reason, I was struck by the swift, confident motions he was making in lashing it back to the frame, the elegant competence with which he worked. It reminded me of an Ayn Rand scene, and I suddenly understood the pleasure Dagny Taggart felt watching the brakeman on the train. Somehow, it was extremely satisfying to see someone who was so good at what they did. Strange the things that strike me as I'm driving...