Around the block

Taking a walk while waiting to be discharged.

A homeless lady in her home car yells at me: hospital! Likely triggered by my “Saturday” security visitor sticker. “Yes, new baby” she instantly got back at me: “Can you believe I had 4 of these”. She looked away signaling that she was not expecting a follow-up.

A young Mexican guy is trading crypto while bored at a roadside fruit stand.

An old lady with a chandelier-sized dragonfly pendant crosses the road in an area without crosswalks or sidewalks in front of a (hill-sized) F-450. I feel dumb that the only thought that comes up is “is she technically jaywalking? Where does the term come from?”. Her bling is so big, it looks like it’s the thing making her slouch.

A student is leaving his parents with a Uhaul trailer. He hugs his mom as I’m passing by. My feet are sticking on the new hot, fresh asphalt of his parent's driveway. “We’ll see you in Seattle” she says with a sad eye and content smile that she extends to me scrapping my shoes clumsily.

I feel the mist of the pressure washers as I walk along is barely noticeable. The scented soaps and the heat are bringing sensations of anthropomorphic agony I’m too familiar with. Everyone in line at the car wash is on their phone.

The sun. The road dust. A frown stuck on my face, exacerbated by squinting. The same sock for 2 days shuffling in the small room. Nothing feels good but at least I’m out.

Baby Ash is here. It’s the year of the dragon, hopefully a good omen.

← Index / Published on 2024-10-04