Take The Long Way Home

I had a great walk home yesterday. I took a different route, through a lively urban shopping district. Here are some things I saw along the way:

Ben & Jerry's free scoop day. I tried vanilla Heath bar crunch - yum.

Two shoe stores. I've never been in a shoe store that didn't have all the different sizes stacked up on the shelves, in boxes - but both these stores had just a single model of each shoe style on display. You had to ask the clerk to try it in your size. Actually in the first store I thought all they had was size sixes for little-foot people, so I left, but when I saw the same thing going on at the second store, I thought, "wait..they must have other sizes." I guess I have never purchased shoes anywhere but Payless. And probably won't break that streak any time soon. All the shoes I saw cost $400 and up.

Bridge over the park. In the midst of urban wilderness, suddenly there was a glimpse of real wilderness - at least, a sea of treetops, and the glimmer of a creek down below. Joggers leaned on the railings breathing in the fresh wind while cars rushed by on the highway behind them. Far off in the distance, I could see the towers of the cathedral near where I live. It looked like a fairytale castle.

Candle vigil for Tibetan victims. Twenty-some people sitting in circles around flickering candles, holding signs and pictures of victims, some of whom were just children. They were all silent and it was really eerie. I felt a pang thinking of all the awful things that happen in the world, that I am insulated from through luck, not merit.

Quick detour through the zoo. It was an hour before closing time, and the gates were open. I got to see the kangaroo, the emu, the maned wolves, and a pile of cheetahs lying together in the grass. The wolves were the best. I've always really liked them, even with the smell. The way they move, they look more horsy than doglike - they have long necks and a horse-like way of swinging their heads around and swivelling their ears, and narrow sloping shoulders, and long legs. I sneaked up on them very quietly and stayed just out of view so I could watch them playing together - gently pouncing at each other. The way they walk, both legs on a side moving together, looks so alien.

Library, to drop off my books. I found a literature discussion group that my dad might want to join posted on the bulletin board.

Pet store, to get guinea pig stuff.

And home at last.