The path in front of me was rocky as I walked. Ballast strewn from the train tracks made every step an exercise in pain. My ragged old tennis shoes bearing the brunt of the assault. I was walking behind that old cotton mill as I stopped to sit awhile on an old concrete loading dock. I had a ham and cheese sandwich and an orange for lunch as I drank a lukewarm Sprite Zero from my backpack. It was a beautiful day, but overcast. The sun so bright it seemed to break through the clouds on occasion. I could feel it's warmth on my skin -- the catbirds serenading me.
I realize the train crews are starting to think I am homeless I spend so much time down here. There is a old concrete loading bay that would be the perfect place to pitch a tent. I've camped out here before during a urban homeless experiment. It is the perfect place except you are trespassing. Luckily, the mill has long been in disuse and the employees are just a memory.
I couldn't stay long as my stomach decided to balk and protest. It was a long bike ride back home hoping I would arrive in time -- that rocky road a now distant memory as I retired my old, ratty tennis shoes. These shoes look terrible, but are the most comfortable things I have ever owned.
Mom called when I arrived home.
"Where have you been?" she protested. "I've been trying to reach you all morning."
"Down at the tracks," I replied.
"I am going to get your groceries tonight," she said. "Rhonda changed my hair appointment to today."
"Big hair," I mused at the fact that my mother gets her hair done and wants to take on the whole world with bravado. My father is also known to laughingly muse about Mom's "big hair" days as well.
Mom buying my groceries means unhealthy eating. I just don't feel like going after last night's panic/anxiety attack. She will buy me lots of sandwich stuff, Little Debbie snack cakes, candy, and Chef Boyardee. I guess beggars can't be choosers.
We have a 30 percent chance of storms today. I know you can guess how excited that makes me. We are getting into that summertime weather pattern in the South. Most days bring a chance of pop-up storms. I am just thrilled to death and will watch the Internet radar all afternoon for development. I will oscillate between the radar and "The Homeless Guy's" blog. Hopefully, he will update today. He did get up the money for next month's rent which was exciting.
4 comments:
Do you have any all night grocery stores? You could shop when it's not so crowded. I like to do that.
Great story version of your day!!
Gotta love those afternoon storms popping up! Hope you are doing well. Have a great weekend!
I hope that you are having a good day today...I thought of you today because I had a panic attack in the grocery store...Mom was there and understanding and we shopped together for part of the time and I got a pop since my mouth was so dry I could not even really talk well...I checked out with the few things that I had gotten and decided to get the other things someother time.Mom gave me her key to the car so I went out there and had gotten a candy bar in case it was just my sugar level was low since I have not eaten much today but it did not help much so I am SO glad to be back home with Gracie. I hope that Maggie and you have a good rest of your day. It helps I think when one knows that other people go thru some of the same things that it is a comfort at least to me it is.
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