Outward Appearance
The walk starts on the isthmus in Downtown Olympia. To the north lies the southern tip of the Salish Sea. Capitol Lake, the Capitol, and the Deschutes River estuary are to the south. The walk starts here because there is free two-hour parking. I head east into downtown Olympia, but my walk is no longer a straight route. The construction of two downtown luxury condos calls for two traffic revisions within the three blocks of downtown proper. I am worried about these new buildings. They are indicators of change in my beloved town. I have always preferred living in places that do not have their act together and are not universally accepted as desirable places.
I am now walking north on 4th and a young transient is talking at my aging ears. Can’t hear him til I come closer and he asks me “Why did they shut down the well? Why would they do that?” I stop and look at him. He is clearly a transient who has passed through here before and is back for another round. He is a young Caucasian man whose skin is nut brown. Clearly not a regular resident of the rainy climes and sunless skies of Olympia, Washington. He has his pack on his back. He has missing teeth and a great smile and a cocktail spear inserted through the septum of his nose. The cocktail spear has a flare at the end of it like a pirate’s sword. He has a sweet smile and He is asking why the well is closed because the concrete park in front of the well is fenced off. This happened around 8 months ago after the park had become a gathering place for the homeless and drug exchange and sleeping and the merchants forced the city to take this action. The artesian well which flows freely all day is still open and I give him directions on how to access it. He nods in thanks and heads towards it and the water that holds the whole community together.
I pick up my pace as I’m trying to get as much exercise as possible. I am about to cross Jefferson at my 3.8 mph rate when I see a young couple heading toward me and an older, apparently homeless, gent wandering back and forth in a random pattern just in front of them. We all converge in such a way that when I was trying to pass and keep up my pace I jog to the right and my right foot clips the edge of a stump in the sidewalk. Of course, Olympia has stumps sticking out of its sidewalk and I became the 73-year-old man taking a header on the pavement. It is one of those moments when time slows enough so a rapid series of thoughts flood my brain. The first is: I am going down and it is going to hurt. The second thought is: I hope I don’t break something and finally, whatever happens happens when I stop flying through the air and hit the pavement with a thud.
The young couple turns in alarm and concern. Will they have to call 911 for this poor old man? Lend a helping hand up? Ewwww. They are looking at me in horror and concern. They are looking at a frail older man. I get the look and although it is born out of kindness and worry, I don’t like being the subject of their concern or appearing frail or old. It is a kink in my limited vanity. So, I look up at them and I do a quick check of myself. Nothing is broken. It was an ugly-looking fall. You don’t fall pretty when you are 73 years old. But I’m not feeling too bad physically. I smile at them and let them know I am fine. They smile back uncertainly, turn and continue their stroll.
The older homeless guy is right next to me and looks about my age. He could be younger but looking older from the ravages of the street. Who knows? He is doing anything possible not to look at me. but he does eventually as he tries to continue his random walk. When he does look at me as I am lying there on the pavement, his expression seems to say: “man, you are embarrassing us. Get it together For God’s sake, Don’t make a scene. Don’t you know anything? ” I take the hint, get up none too gingerly, tip my hat to the old gent and continue my walk. He, in turn, seems delighted to be rid of me and continues his random walking back and forth on this same narrow bit of pavement by the stupid stump.
PS Somebody must have witnessed this because the city covered the stump a week later.
— DanielSouthGate
The walk starts on the isthmus in Downtown Olympia. To the north lies the southern tip of the Salish Sea. Capitol Lake, the Capitol, and the Deschutes River estuary are to the south. The walk starts here because there is free two-hour parking. I head east into downtown Olympia, but my walk is no longer a straight route. The construction of two downtown luxury condos calls for two traffic revisions within the three blocks of downtown proper. I am worried about these new buildings. They are indicators of change in my beloved town. I have always preferred living in places that do not have their act together and are not universally accepted as desirable places.
I am now walking north on 4th and a young transient is talking at my aging ears. Can’t hear him til I come closer and he asks me “Why did they shut down the well? Why would they do that?” I stop and look at him. He is clearly a transient who has passed through here before and is back for another round. He is a young Caucasian man whose skin is nut brown. Clearly not a regular resident of the rainy climes and sunless skies of Olympia, Washington. He has his pack on his back. He has missing teeth and a great smile and a cocktail spear inserted through the septum of his nose. The cocktail spear has a flare at the end of it like a pirate’s sword. He has a sweet smile and He is asking why the well is closed because the concrete park in front of the well is fenced off. This happened around 8 months ago after the park had become a gathering place for the homeless and drug exchange and sleeping and the merchants forced the city to take this action. The artesian well which flows freely all day is still open and I give him directions on how to access it. He nods in thanks and heads towards it and the water that holds the whole community together.
I pick up my pace as I’m trying to get as much exercise as possible. I am about to cross Jefferson at my 3.8 mph rate when I see a young couple heading toward me and an older, apparently homeless, gent wandering back and forth in a random pattern just in front of them. We all converge in such a way that when I was trying to pass and keep up my pace I jog to the right and my right foot clips the edge of a stump in the sidewalk. Of course, Olympia has stumps sticking out of its sidewalk and I became the 73-year-old man taking a header on the pavement. It is one of those moments when time slows enough so a rapid series of thoughts flood my brain. The first is: I am going down and it is going to hurt. The second thought is: I hope I don’t break something and finally, whatever happens happens when I stop flying through the air and hit the pavement with a thud.
The young couple turns in alarm and concern. Will they have to call 911 for this poor old man? Lend a helping hand up? Ewwww. They are looking at me in horror and concern. They are looking at a frail older man. I get the look and although it is born out of kindness and worry, I don’t like being the subject of their concern or appearing frail or old. It is a kink in my limited vanity. So, I look up at them and I do a quick check of myself. Nothing is broken. It was an ugly-looking fall. You don’t fall pretty when you are 73 years old. But I’m not feeling too bad physically. I smile at them and let them know I am fine. They smile back uncertainly, turn and continue their stroll.
The older homeless guy is right next to me and looks about my age. He could be younger but looking older from the ravages of the street. Who knows? He is doing anything possible not to look at me. but he does eventually as he tries to continue his random walk. When he does look at me as I am lying there on the pavement, his expression seems to say: “man, you are embarrassing us. Get it together For God’s sake, Don’t make a scene. Don’t you know anything? ” I take the hint, get up none too gingerly, tip my hat to the old gent and continue my walk. He, in turn, seems delighted to be rid of me and continues his random walking back and forth on this same narrow bit of pavement by the stupid stump.
PS Somebody must have witnessed this because the city covered the stump a week later.
— DanielSouthGate
Great story of one's town changing, being friendly to strangers (at least in the first encounter), and the fall. Fall's description is perfect. I'm glad nothing physical broke. Nice walking rhythm.
ReplyDeleteEven if nothing's broken, there's going to be a bit of aching from those muscles tensing unexpectedly. How long ago was this? You're making me remember being there...back in 1980. I hope, I hope, they don't build more than those two buildings! Stop now while you can, Olympia! (Macoff)
ReplyDeleteIt was about a year ago and the building has stopped for now. Oly retains its character! And yes there was lots of scrapes and aching!
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