Everybody in Connecticut talks to themselves

A strange phenomenon has hit the state of Connectict. I'll be driving down the road and to my left is a man talking to himself, gesturing wildly with his hands. In the grocery store a woman will be squeezing peaches, finding the perfectly ripe ones and placing them in her plastic bag, all the while talking to herself about last night's party. While I'm trying to act nonchalant, as if it's completely normal to talk to oneself, I catch myself giving sideways glances to these people, but trying not too, like passing by a bad car wreck. Has the entire state of Connecticut gone mad?

Sadly, no. The good state of Connecticut has enacted a law making it illegal to operate a car while talking on a cell phone. So these people are not talking to themselves; alas, they are talking to someone else on the other line, their bluetooth technology sleekly worn on their ear. Apparently, this law has infiltrated the culture of Connecticut as well (interesting how a law can completely change the culture of a city or a country) and Connecticutians wear there hands-free everywhere - even in the grocery store.

Although I don't have bluetooth (hint, hint Scott), I have grown to love my hands-free. I must confess, however, that there have been times when I have converted to my old North Carolina habits and talked on the phone *gasp* using my hands. I cannot count the number of dirty looks I've gotten from fellow drivers. I even had one guy yell "Get off the f** phone!". Of course, I was making a wrong turn, as well, so maybe the expletive was deserved.

So I am now officially hands-free. And now when I elicit strange stares from out-of-towners, I'll know it's just because they don't notice my cell phone earpiece in. Or it may just be that I really am talking to myself. That happens, too.