Middle age plus 7/3

We have one and one half miles of a rock/gravel road before we get to the highway. No matter which direction we take, or what route we use to go to town, we know that there will be a section of our trip on unpaved roads. We don't mind because we remember what it used to be like before the road was covered with the crushed rock. There were one or two places where we knew we would get stuck if it rained. If we went straight north to the highway, there were two or three low places that invariably would get muddy enough to mire down a car. If we turned and went through Ellis, there were also a couple of danger spots. I can't pinpoint exactly when Highway 43 (first just called a farm to market road) was graveled. I know that happened before our roads were covered with crushed rock. We have no fear of being stranded now because of weather even though the roads are not paved. I guess a very heavy snowfall might stop us for a few hours until the grader opens up a path, but that doesn't happen often. The township road graders generally do a very good job. We have been blessed to be neighbors several times to persons who were serving on the Township Board. That made them aware of any problems on our road, and they were taken care of fairly soon. Last week our road was graded all the way to the highway. I noticed when I went to town right after the grader had passed, that a rather large rock had gotten dislodged and was left in the passageway after the grader was finished. I saw it in time to avoid it and didn't think anything more about it. When I came home some hours later, I noticed the rock was still there, but tracks had begun forming around it, so the traffic was avoiding the problem. I wondered why someone hadn't stopped to move the rock to the side. I also noticed that the Brown Eyed Susans were blooming along the roadside, and the Queen Ann's Lace was covering the ditches. I enjoy sitting at our dining room table where I can see the road. Surprisingly there is quite a bit of traffic on this rural road. Tractors, combines, cars, pickup trucks, and even semi trucks pass frequently. Many of them turn at the crossroads and don't go straight to the highway, but many do use that road also. Since we have two new houses on this road, but across the highway, it seems more important as a road. I didn't go to town the next day. But two days later when I took my articles in to the paper, I noticed that the rock was still in the road. It wasn't as noticeable now because the dust from the wheels going around it had piled up beside it. Again, I thought that someone should really stop and throw this rock out of harm's way. Even though it was broad daylight I happened to see a young deer standing in the field just beyond the road, looking at me. It seemed that she (I think it was a doe) was wondering if she should run or continue grazing. She didn't move as I drove past, so I guess she sensed I was no threat to her. I need to go to town again this afternoon. I will be interested to see if the rock is still there or not. I really can't understand why someone hasn't taken the time to stop, get out, and take that rock out of the road. It seems like everyone expects someone else to do everything, doesn't it?