Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Second Impressions

On the way to town Sunday afternoon, I passed a roadwalker. She was coming towards me on the county blacktop road, about a half-mile off the lettered county highway, heading towards the middle of nowhere. 
 
I had never seen her before, but I assumed she was out for an evening walk. She was carrying her cell phone, perhaps listening to music, or checking the time she had been walking. Curiously enough, her exercise attire was a tube-top sundress with wide horizontal pastel stripes. Not an outfit I would have chosen for a walk on a country road. I did not notice her shoes, since T-Hoe was past her by that time.

On to town I went. Did my business. Came back about an hour later. I crested the hill that leads down to Mailbox Row, in the area where Hick ran SilverRedO off in the snow on the day I was being sprung from my Unfortunate HospitVALzation, and saw Roadie headed down that hill, on the side facing traffic. She had traveled about a mile in the hour I was gone.

I briefly entertained the thought of asking if she needed a ride. Such unusual workout clothing, you know. My mind was working quickly. I hadn't seen a car off the road, as if she might have run out of gas. But she wouldn't be walking AWAY from town if that was the case, now would she? She had passed 11 occupied houses in that time. Just in case she didn't have cell reception, and might have wanted to make a call.

Then my eye landed on the back of her right shoulder. Which showcased a giant dragon tattoo. Nope. Vroom-vroom went T-Hoe as I sped on by.

Not trying to judge a book by its cover, but I don't think her situation was something I wanted to involve myself in. I think it might have gone a little deeper than needing a dollar for whiskey or a vape.

10 comments:

  1. Don't blame you one bit. The older I get the less sweet I get.

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    1. I didn't want to get involved in a possible domestic dispute, in case she got out of a car after a fight, or was "running" away from a situation. Not that the tattoo really had anything to do with it, but the tattooed people I know are a bit more volatile than the non-tattooed people I know.

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    2. Three of my kids and two of my grandkids have multiple tattoos and you'd be as safe as houses with all of them, but being wary is also good thinking.

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    3. I'm not saying I didn't feel safe. I have family members with multiple tattoos, and they are more volatile than those without. I didn't want to be in the middle of a domestic dispute, like one which caused a family member to be locked up, and the spouse also incarcerated the next day! Both of whom have multiple tattoos. Just my anecdotal experience with my tattooees! They don't have good control of their emotions.

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  2. Sounds like you imagination was jogging faster than Stephen King's.

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    1. Well, thank goodness a guy distracted by his dog stealing steaks didn't run over ME! Something just seemed off about the situation. After 28 years of teaching, I STILL notice when people's actions don't fit the norm. It's that teacher sense, our survival mechanism!

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  3. Aww, now we'll never hear her story. It might have been a good one. On the other hand...well, let's not go there.

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    1. I hope she wasn't on her way to kick the Not-Heaven out of our Bus-Waiting Shack!

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