penny felt a strange wistfulness calling to her , as from a popular song on the radio heard while driving home in one 's car late at night or from someone about to walk in a room one would fall in love with forevershe sailed on a crest of emotion that lifted her on angel wings : a sugar shaker with an aluminum lid and square flippity-floppity nozzle , a black plastic ash tray , some glass salt and pepper shakers with aluminum tops , and a greenish formica counter top in imitation of colored marblethese were all objects that told her she was turtle tough rather than meek as a snail , but she felt like crying outshe was 26 , the world could be a better place !