Too Hasty?

Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my previous post where I ranted about not needing people.

I was ranting about those not already in my circle and probably won’t be. Or shouldn’t.

Yet, on my morning walks, I have encountered some very nice people.

Out for my walk

Let me begin by saying I leave my home with a mask on. It’s become customary, a force of habit. In the cooler months, it keeps my face warm. In the warmer months, I do end up taking it off when I don't see anyone on the block where I’m walking. And partially because it’s getting a bit stuffy under there. But, when I see someone coming, I do put it back on and if possible and safe, I still step into the street to keep my social distancing.

But, no one bullies me about my choices. I see a variety of people both with and without masks. No one says anything to anyone.

I enjoy saying hello to the people I meet on my way; the gardeners, the street maintenance people, the sanitation workers in their big green trucks, others out for their walks. It’s just a simple greeting; a wave, a nod, a “good morning”, a “have a nice day.” Occasionally, there is a bit more, like “How are you?” or “How’s it going?” and then a brief exchange, “I’m well, thanks.” Or it may be about the weather, like when I saw an elderly woman raking leaves from her yard in the early morning on a day when it was forecast to be 104 in my area. “It’s a good thing you're getting this done early,” I said. “Yes, it is,” she replied. I reminded her to stay hydrated, though I usually end with something like “Stay healthy” or “Have a good one” and continue on my way. 

I enjoy these brief exchanges and have even met some regulars.

There’s the young man who walks his boxer, Louie, and an older gentleman who walks Lucy, the young beagle. There’s Bella of unknown breed though I suspect some Pit Bull in there somewhere. She sits in her yard most mornings and greets the people walking by. One day, a man in the yard told me she was a very sweet dog and would lick me to death and that she loves to greet the kids walking to or from the school up the block. And she is very sweet. So, when I walk by and she’s in the yard, she makes a beeline for the fence, tail wagging, sticks her snout through and I stop and greet her and give her some scratches and ear rubs. Occasionally, her owner is out there and we wave and say hello.

The Monastery

I miss the school bus drivers now that school is out. I’d wave and if they were outside their bus, I’d thank them for bringing the kids to the school. I hope they are enjoying their well-deserved summer break or getting to work summer school for some additional money.

I've encountered a South Asian family with two young children. It's taken them a while, but now they all smile and wave when they see me coming.

On one walk, a couple of years ago, I discovered a Vietnamese Buddhist monastery in my neighborhood. A few times, I have seen some of the monks tending their garden. I greet them with prayer hands and a slight bow. They return the gesture, though often a one-handed greeting as they are often holding a garden tool in the other.

The other side of the monastery

The lions guarding the main doors

I also like checking in (metaphorically) with those people who I encountered before. One man was walking a very young puppy, (Chocolate lab, if I remember) while carrying his young son in a baby carrier on his chest. A few months later, the baby was in a stroller, and the puppy was not so small. Then there was the Armenian couple (I only know that because they were flying an Armenian flag on their house during the recent conflict with Azerbaijan.) who was doing some home remodeling and I was watching the piles of materials slowly growing smaller. An elderly gentleman was digging out some roots one time when I walked by a few weeks ago. We chatted and he said he was getting some help for the more stubborn ones. A couple of days ago, he was now working on his sprinkler system as I guess he got those roots taken care of. I reminded him to stay cool and hydrated as it was going to be a scorcher. There is a man I’ve seen a few times in the company of what I believe to be a healthcare worker as her scrubs gave her away. Oh, and he had a walker and a brace on one of his legs. He seems to be making progress as I’ve seen him about, still with his walker and brace but unaccompanied by his health aide. 

When I’d walk in the evening in the warmer weather when it would stay lighter later, I recognized some regulars then, too, mostly couples out for their evening constitutional.

The one set of regulars I’m not too keen on running into are the dog alarms who need to alert the whole neighborhood I’m in the area. Some houses I can avoid on my walk, others I can’t. 

There is a very interesting set of “regulars” I encounter from time to time. Crows. A while back I began taking some raw peanuts with me to drop when I saw some crows or squirrels. I’ve been doing this for a while on various routes of my walks and sometimes I’ve seen crows fly either to trees, lampposts or the phone wires overhead and they watch me. I take some peanuts out, show them to the crows then drop them on the ground and walk away. A few steps later, I turn and see if they’ve seen them. Most times they have. Sometimes, it’s a couple, other times it’s a flock. It’s not easy telling one crow from another, so it might be the same few, or a different flock each time.

Crows

More crows!

Crows, again

It’s these friendly encounters with people and the crows that I enjoy. I just don’t like setting off the dog alarms.

Photos courtesy of Jeffrey Ballam.