There's this spot, on my default walking route.
Default, cuz I tend to walk it when I'm on the clock, and want to bang out some hills and about 1.4 miles in 30 minutes, which is my version of a lunch break when I'm working remotely.
So there's this spot....
A little grassy area, with a picnic table. Behind what was a KFC, soon to be a chain coffee place. on a glorified alley, a small winding street that exists only for the handful of houses on it. it's not on the way to or from anywhere.....
On a couple of occasions, soon after I started walking this route, I was hit up for change by various sad sacks sitting at the table.... Only took a couple of times before I started swinging wide, and not making eye contact, whenever I'd see someone sitting there.
So there's this spot...
As I neared it the other day, an older, kind of disheveled fella was walking toward me on the street, from the opposite direction.
"Man. Here we go. Don't make eye contact..."
As we got closer to one another, he nervously, of all things, flashed me the peace sign.
I can say without exaggeration that, having missed the 60's (I was 2, I believe, when Woodstock happened), I've not oft been flashed the peace sign by random passersby.
I smiled and nodded at him. Standard acknowledgement, when passing other walkers....
He looked a bit more anxious.
The peace sign came out again, almost pushed at me this time.
"Good morning." I say, politely, still smiling, still walking.
And... Peace sign a 3rd time. Ironically he almost looked mad.
At this spot, on my default walking route.
And then we were past one another.
Entire exchange from beginning to end, including the greeting, the nodding, all the smiling, and all three peace signs?
maybe 10 seconds.
Fuck, people. I didn't flash him the peace sign back. Because, for same reason I've not oft been flashed the peace sign by random passersby.... I've not oft flashed the peace sign at random passersby.
Coincidence?!?!
I think not.
A few hundred words ago, I thought I knew where this was going. And now I'm realizing it didn't quite end up there. It happens. Maybe it's just one of those "moment of my day" dealies, but with greater emphasis on audience and structure.
Maybe that's all there is to this one.
Oh, wait...
A reminder to be good, your own way. Be kind, your own way.
You do you, Boo Boo.
Don't worry about conforming to someone else's deluded beliefs, as to what constitutes good and bad.
There it is!
sort of.
ish.
Oh, and.... peace.
