President Obama inspires me to be a better writer

Courtesy of http://www.foothillgym.com, found using Google Images

The man on the elliptical machine beside me at Anytime Fitness stared forward into his Cardio Theater personal television screen, watching hockey. I considered saying something. But I didn’t.

Such an intrusion would be “un-American,” I reasoned, and I turned my righteous glare to my own screen to watch the presidential inauguration ceremony. I didn’t expect the broadcast would be more entertaining than my neighbor’s program. It’s just that watching the proceedings felt like performing a civic duty. (Eventually, the man tuned in, briefly).

Not long into the event coverage, I sensed that I could have performed that civic duty better.