Thursday, July 9, 2009

same person. same place.

Often, the hardest part of the day for me is getting out the door by 8:20am.  Chances are if you read this blog, you know that me and mornings don't mix.  With that being said, the good news is that for the most part, things get easier after that.  I have a short commute.... approximately ten minutes +/- 2ish depending on how the traffic gods are working with me on any given morning.   I take the same route every day, but a different one to than from.    The thing I like best about the drive to work, is that more often then not, I see one of the most interesting couples i've ever seen.  When I first noticed the pattern of our continually aligned paths, I was struck by the fact that this guy is faithful to the same walk, every morning.  This guy is older, I'd say in his 60's... or at least weathered to the point of looking 60.  He's got a bald head, but the hair that grows from his chin more than makes up for it.  My guess is that his gray beard has grown to somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-12 inches.  When the weather is nice, he wears faded jeans and a black t-shirt, with what I'm sure must be one of his favorite band or a great deal he picked up at sal-val.  His shirt fits on top, but hugs his mid section too tight.  See, part of the reason he's so curious to me is that he's one of those men that has a tight pot belly.  Odd, I know.  But seriously, it's is, and I'm not sure how else to explain it.  You'll notice next time you see one, and you'll understand.  Anyway, it looks like he jumped off a motorcycle in 1985, never changed his clothes, and just to add a unique twist, decided to just walk from there on out.  This guy is NEVER in a hurry to go anywhere... he kind of operates in a stomping like stroll.  One that is at such a sedated pace that it's sometimes hard to believe he's even moving at all... until you see his buddy.  His buddy is a tiny dog.  Again, another addition to the scene that forces a double take.  With a guy like this, you expect to see a german shepherd, or a big bull dog... but not this.  This dog is small. and fat.  I thought for a while she was pregnant.  but that was more than a year ago, and as little as i know about the gestation period of dogs, I'm guessing that she's just plain fat.  It's always interesting for me to watch that as slllllow as this man walks, he's always still pulling the dog! I don't get it.  I can't imagine they walk far.  My guess would be around the block.... maybe a few.  But just enough to say they went on a "walk", but not really enough to do much of anything.  In any case, I like them. I like the peculiar duo that they are, and am glad that as hard as it is to get out the door by 8:20, I know that my punctual timing has the possibility to be rewarded by one of my favorite morning observations. 

Maybe next time i'll tell you about the barefoot lady I see on the drive home. 

2 comments:

Shoeaddict329 said...

Oh Emily!! I love your description of this guy, I feel like I would recognize him on the spot if I ever saw him!! I would really love it if the next time I saw you you were imitating his "stomping stroll," I literally lol'd out loud!! The people in my office are looking at me like I'm crazy...

Meredith said...

That story reminds me of the old man that i see occasionally on Beck Road. He's the classic little old man with a tiny dog and I see him every summer walking down the road picking up trash! It's such a great picture and I smile every time I see him. Helping the environment and my state of mind, what could be better?

Miss you, by the way...