“I am glad I am walking,” I thought as I followed the sidewalk less traveled by most.
The sun is just beginning to set and the buildings I pass cast long shadows in front of me. These short winter days have a tendency to impart the doldrums upon me. I shake off my melancholy mood as I arrive at the restaurant reassuring myself that the days are indeed getting longer.
I sit quietly drinking my coke as I stare out the large plate glass window next to me with a view of the highway. I wonder about all those people in their cars, where they are headed, and what their lives are like.
I look inside and see a large amount of people eating their meals. All types from all walks of life form a diverse cross section of patrons inside. Blue collar workers sit eating their country fried steak platters. A business man in a grey suit sits reading his newspaper over a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. I grab the handle of the heavy glass door and walk inside to join this eclectic mix of people.
“What can I get you?” The waitress asks as she walks over brushing her bangs out of her face.
I study the menu for a moment trying to decide what to eat.
“We have a special on a meat and three veggies platter tonight,” She says trying to help me make up my mind. The restaurant is busy and she has many tables to attend to.
“Get me the foot long chili dog with extra onions,” I tell her and she writes it down.
“Do you want French fries with that?”
“Yes, please.”
I sit quietly drinking my coke as I stare out the large plate glass window next to me with a view of the highway. I wonder about all those people in their cars, where they are headed, and what their lives are like. I don’t envy them of the rat race they are embroiled in as they are most likely heading home after a busy and tiring day of work.
My meal arrives and I eat with a ravenous hunger. The chili dog was delicious and I place a tip on the table and walk up to the cashier to pay.
“Was everything okay, honey?” The cute and dirty blonde haired cashier asks.
“It was delicious,” I say as I invoke a smile.
I leave the restaurant and begin my walk back home. The raucous noise of the busy highway beside me perturbs me. I think how I could never live life on the go like that. I have to have a quiet, serene, and simple life filled with little, if any, stress. I finally part ways with the sidewalk by the highway as I take a shortcut through the car lot. The silence is so welcomed as the din of the busy highway fades into the distance. I arrive at my quiet neighborhood to find serenity leaving busy downtown behind. Peace envelopes me. Another day is done as the sun slips below the horizon.
13 comments:
Hmmm, I wish I could live like that. I yearn for it all of the time. Simple living with quiet times. It would be just wonderful from the hustle and bustle I have to go through every day. Ugh. Such is my life.
Hi Jonathan Andrew,
I don't think I could say it any better than abbagirl. Simple living with quiet times. Yes.
Peace and serenity are a gift that few of us stop to enjoy! You are wealthier in spirit than most people in our society and you are showing the rest of us the way. Rock on!
Peace and serenity are a gift that few of us stop to enjoy! You are wealthier in spirit than most people in our society and you are showing the rest of us the way. Rock on!
A foot long chili dog with fries...YUM! :)
Smemanufo,
I am sorry you take issue with that. It is your problem and not mine though. I haven’t made one dime off of that donation button nor do I solicit donations actively unlike the homeless guy who quotes scriptures to entice you into giving. It was mainly an experiment to see if I could actually garner an income from a blog as a writer. I am allowed to make up to an extra $600 dollars a month in income without penalty. I live on only $837 a month and manage my money quite well, thank you. That chili dog and fries you so took offense to me eating only cost $4 dollars plus tax. Many times it is cheaper for me to eat an inexpensive meal out than to buy groceries and cook for one. It is not like I am down at the Outback steakhouse eating rockhampton ribeyes every night.
The computers that so perturb you are over 4 years old. One doesn’t work. One is slow as hell. The grey one is my nice computer that I bought when I was driving a big rig truck and working.
I actually make $3 dollars a day with my Google Adsense ads. Should I take them down as well? Does that bother you that I am generating an income doing something I put a lot of work and time into and that I enjoy so immensely?
I was mainly just emulating a lot of popular blogs I read and enjoy like Waiter Rant and Beautiful Beta. I would just like to be able to support myself by writing someday and this blog is a start. Please don’t begrudge me wanting to better myself and aspiring to something I think I might have a chance at supporting myself someday with.
Anyway, I will take the donation button down so as to not cause any more rancor with my readers. It wasn’t very successful anyway.
You explain yourself beautifully Andrew, but the thing of it is, you don't have to; this is your site and you can do what you please with it! Smemanufo and all the other naysayers can stuff it. :o)
You did do a wonderful job of explaining, and terri is correct .. it is your blog! I have recently added a few affiliate links to my blog, for things I feel are worthwhile.
If people do not like what they see at 4th Avenue, they do not have to visit. :)
Peace.
Wow. Well said Andrew.
Although I have to agree, I'm not much on the donation button. However, maybe you could use other ads or something that would generate income? I'd be more than happy to throw some clicks your way to support something you and your readers love and depend on.
Freedom of speech!! I think we're still allowed that under our constitution.
Yes Rich,
Very well said. I do not begrudge Smemanufo’s comment at all. He was pretty basically right and my first reaction was to get defensive about it. It is hypocritical of me to put that donation button up. I have often been very outspoken and critical of the homeless guy doing the very same thing. I am only human and got greedy due to the fact that my blog was generating so many visits per week. I hope he will forgive me and accept my apology and continue to read along.
I dont have the dollars and I get psyched multiplying by fiftye very time, so not my problem. Already i have said you write what you want to, right?
One more point- from that looking at people and guessing, so many stories will emerge, no?
So I think.
Well I had no idea that my opinion would cause such an uproar. I never intended for you to take it the way you initially did. All I did was point out what I saw, and that you shouldn't have a need for a donation button.
Yesterday was trying for me over it, and due to the verbal wrath that was unleashed upon me on my blog, I deleted the entire thing as well as my initial comment here. I never intended to upset you and I am sorry you took it the way you did, but I now have less faith in your readers due to the comments made to me.
I still wish the best for you and will continue to read, but will refrain from commenting. Thanks.
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