1482 Errands

Monday, September 24, 2007

[Later edit - fixed my left/right confusion (a real learning disability!) in the penultimate paragraph.]

I ran errands today. Post office, picked up some packages. Bank, deposited a check. Electronics store, picked up some button batteries. Oil change etc. for Aerio. Piper, asked him to have a check cut for me so I can pay the county real estate taxes.

Spent some time talking with him about his living situation. He wants out of his relationship (he thought he was out, but she came back) and he doesn't know how to do it gently and without guilt. You can't. 'Tain't possible.

I was leaving the mall earlier this afternoon and saw a young man sitting by the side of the road. He had long sandy hair with a bandanna around his forehead, flowers painted on his face (at least I hope they were painted, not permanent), and rings in his nose and ears (possibly more, I didn't get a good look). He was sitting in the lotus position, holding a sign that said "Traveling. Need food donation. Anything will help."

Shades of the seventies!

I'd have tossed him a few dollars, just for nostalgia's sake, except that the spot he chose to sit made that impossible. Two malls empty out onto an access road. Lots of cars jockeying to be in the proper lane at the light. The leftmost rightmost lane dumps onto the bridge access ramp and even though there's a light, the traffic in that lane moves pretty steadily. No room at the sides to pull over, and if you stop in the lane, you'll get someone climbing your bumper and honking. And that's where the kid chose to sit. On the left right, on the grass.

I wonder how long it took him to figure it out.
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