conversation

Street conversation this morning. (Note: Neither of us was stuporous. We were both clear faced and open.) --
He: I'm stranded. I need money to get home.
Me: I have heard that story for 25 years. We are all stranded and need to get home.
He: (Grins) I must admit I had a drink last night.
Me: So did I.
(Mutual laughter)
He: I just spoke with a woman who said she was atheist. She wanted to know what I believed. I said we are from Mother Earth and will return to her. We walk in between Mother Earth and Father Sky.
Me: Yes. We are in between here.
He: It's Purgatory.
Me: Sometimes it's Hell.
He: (Grins) Yes.
We (simultaneously): And sometimes it's Heaven.
We break out laughing.
He: I love you, man.
We go our separate ways.

walking tips

George’s Walking Tips:
Choose asphalt over concrete, dirt over asphalt
Choose community / neighborhood street over traffic flow street
Choose back alleys over neighborhood streets
Take a new route rather than an old route
Return a different way
Take shortcuts even though they are longer
Pick up money, even if a penny, put it in a walking jar
Notice side paths and follow them. They go somewhere, probably a short cut, or to an interesting place. Human game trails.
Keep a soft-eyed open gaze. You’ll see more, be perceived as less of a threat, get in less trouble.
No marching! Amble. Amble fast or amble slow, but amble. You are amble-utory. You will not need an amble-ulance.
Stop, look and listen. At any time. For as long as you care to.
If you have a watch, leave it at home. You will get there when you get there. And you never get there, you are always here.
Carry a teeny notebook to record your teeny thoughts.
Keep your head up and look around.
Let your head not bounce up and down. Keep an even keel.

conversation

Morning street conversation:
Two Navajo men cleaning up shrubbery outside school. I stop, say hello.
"Look at that," the older man said, pointing by his feet.
I look, see nothing.
"Right there," he said.
A delicate spider like I had never seen before.
We stand there looking.
We stop looking. 
A few moments of silence.
"Those elms," he said, pointing to one. "They come up all over the place."
"They're kind of like rabbits," I said.
He and the younger man burst into laughter.
We laugh together.
I say "Take care" and go on my way, a happier man.

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