Yesterday, Saturday as you know, I didn't do what I'd intended to do. There's always a plan, isn't there? Yesterday I woke up with my alarm, wandered around my house, decided going back to bed could be worked into the plan. The weather is weird and eerie. It's warm, but looks cold. It's humid and dark, but won't rain. I had a grump on the size of a very large elephant. I stayed in bed.
When I was so restless that I just couldn't stay in bed anymore, I knew it was time to extract myself from my little island, disrupt the cats, and get on with it. I put on my running clothes. Then I wandered around some more. Then I made some tea. Looked at the piles of papers that have collected on my 'desk.'
Started cleaning. Laundry. Kitchen. Looked at the vacuum. Back to the piles of paper.
All while wearing my running clothes. That's pretty much how the day went. To the bike shop in my running clothes. Stop by a flag football game in my running clothes. Home to make 'dinner' (as much as you can call frozen veggies, black beans, and tuna mixed in a bowl and microwaved 'dinner') in my running clothes. Finally decided to walk outside -- to an amazing sunset -- stand there for a while and come to terms with the fact that I was definitely not going to run. Took off the blasted clothes and got in the shower.
Today, Sunday, alarm went off again. I got up and wandered around a bit. And even put on the running clothes (different ones actually). Wore them right back into bed where I slept for some time. I started to get a little upset with myself for not just getting out of bed and hitting the road, but then I remembered that 1) I had dinner with someone who was exposed to swine flu, 2) a friend wrote to me and told me that everyone is going to get the flu (pig or regular) and I'd better get my flu shot, 3) I don't get flu shots, 4) there are not enough hours in the week for me to get an adequate amount of sleep, and 5) I have an exceedingly busy week ahead.
So I went about my day and (brace yourself, Mom) went grocery shopping, cooked some food, worked in the yard (that storm did some crazy stuff back there), and finally decided just to start running, and if I didn't feel like it, I'd come home. But I had a plan. That was to run 8 miles.
I start off running and decide that I'll let the wind decide which way I go. I wanted the wind at my back for the latter half of the run. After about 3 miles, I encountered a construction area. I don't really know what's going on over there. I ran kind of through it, kind of around it. Half mile later, a guy in a security car drives toward me and motions for me to stop.
Security guy: what are you doing out here?
Me: Running.
Security guy: where did you come from?
Me: (fighting off my in-born tendency toward sarcasm) I live down that way in that group of houses.
SG: In that house? [He points to the one house that's up on the levee -- it's not a group and there is no other house up there]
Me: No -- just down on the right in that group (not entirely accurate, but it's not like I was going to give him my address).
SG: I've never seen you here before.
Me: Hmm.
SG: They say no one can be out there.
Me: Who is 'they'?
SG: My company told me. It's actually dangerous to be here. [Maybe he was trying to feel like it was very important for him to be there]
Me: Ah. Well I'm almost done -- I'll just get to the end and turn around and go back.
SG: I'll let you go. It's dangerous. No one should be here. But I'll let you go.
Me: Thanks.
SG: Do you come out here a lot?
Me: Not as much as I should.
SG: I'm going to follow you in my truck, so if you see a truck, it's just me. [You know how busy dirt roads that are apparently dangerous construction sites get on Sundays.]
Me: Okay -- I'm just going to run to the end and turn around.
SG: I could drive you wherever you're going.
Me: That would kind of defeat the purpose.
SG: Oh. Oh yeah.
I put my earbud thingys back in and turned on my music so he would know that our special time together had come to an end. Anyone else see a distinct switch in vibe from 'accusing H' to 'hitting on H'? Weirdo. [Last time a man hit on me, he walked away kind of weirded out.]
Then I got to the end of the road, turned around, and pretty much got a little push the whole way home.
May the wind be always at your back.
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2 comments:
Not that you would have remotely considered it, but thanks anyway for NOT getting in the car with "security" guy. He forgot to mention that the primary danger posed in that area is creepy guys harassing women under color of authority.
I did not remotely consider it, but you're welcome.
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