Friday, May 7, 2010

Nice, the Twins, and the World.

Yesterday we spent the day in Bel Air. As Nice (the dog) slept and rested, I took care of laundry. A man who called me on Wednesday evening recommended I ask someone at the Fire Dept. where I could wash my clothes. He was right, and the firehouse gave me directions to the laundry and where a Sprint store was located.

The mall which once housed the outlet now had only an AT&T store. Just for interest I went in to research their coverage. While waiting my turn I was impressed by the patience of the young man who was trying to assist an obnoxious old codger who was berating him and making it hard for the young man to do his job. The codger even had a whistle he blew as he attempted to make a point. The old fart said he used to be a sergeant and had been in communications: he was a good communicator.

That is where I chimed in saying I fancied I too was also a fair communicator and added that it was clear and succinct communications without a lot of clutter. The old man agreed and then added a "yuk,yuk,yuk" imitation of Curly, one of the Three Stooges. I said "That would be clutter."

Before I got into a verbal wrestling match I decided it best to ask where a Sprint location was and after getting clear directions from the young employee I left. After getting my phone serviced, I returned just to commend the young man for his infinite patience, and see how he faired against the ultimate customer relations challenge. All the store workers and I had a good laugh. Later that day after washing my clothes and having lunch, I returned to that parking lot to begin the day's walk as it was a few hundred yards from where I had stopped the night before. By then I had been "friended" on Facebook by one of the guys at AT&T and was on a first name basis with the star employee. A good day so far.

During these journeys where I am alone with my thoughts, the challenge is often from within. A few days ago I had some assistance from a man and his wife who had stopped to let me use the lighter plug in their car to put some air in the World with my camping air pump I carry with me in the back pack. When they handed the plug end back, I dropped it it cracked.

Yesterday when I plugged into the van's socket it blew a fuse, the plug end fell to pieces, and the World was flat. Keeping in mind that all thing have a purpose I found that a Pep Boys was just around the corner where fuses could be gotten and that a Target was just behind that. Target had a pump for air mattresses, but not an auto version. The associates there told me a Dick's Sporting goods was at the next light down the road.

After an hour and a half of walking and driving I was back to the point of resurrecting the World for the late day stroll through part of downtown Bel Air. Like the wind blowing hard against me, this glitch, I told myself, was just a nessesary cog that would lead me to that special someone or something that lay ahead which otherwise would be missed. Perhaps I make that up to keep from being frustrated at times when the wind or technical difficulties slow my roll. But, it serves me well.

Before I left the parking lot, the owner of the mall's Quizno offered a sandwich and anything I wanted. The first car that stopped to talk was a mother and her sons--one had type 1 diabetes. We exchanged encouraging words. While walking through the business district that was mostly shut down for the evening, I met several interesting folks such as a man and his little children who loved the world and Nice (the dog), and the woman who offered her home and hospitality for the evening, a place to shower, and good conversation plus the twin female dogs for companionship for Nice, playing in the yard and being a dog for a change.

As I walked to my hostess's home on the now slow Main Street, I came on two city workers struggling with a large sewer grate that had fallin in the basin. I helped place it with them as I am a carpenter and have experience with a mind toward safety. They thanked me after the task and I thought to myself that, had the fuse not tripped, had I not had to replace the air pump, one of them may have been hurt. Or, all this was just coincidence.

This morning I have touched-up a couple spots on the canvas of the World with paint. Last year I would roll far too long without taking care of my planet and it suffered. I've learned from my past mistakes, I hope. I am working to change the way I manage my resources as I walk for diabetes awareness. No hidden message here, eh?

Out of Bel Aire today and into to new unknown. Have a great day!

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