A Touch Call..

 A tough call...

Two very steep hills converge to my street. There are only 2 houses in my block. The house next door is for sale and empty. At the edge of this double+ lot is a poled street lamp directly on the other side of the street. The light is dim, so the street is very dark at night.

I was awakened at a quarter to twelve last night to what sounded like banging. I got up to investigate and could barely see a man striking the pole. He'd stop for a few seconds, I imagine to catch his breath, and began again. This continued for about 30 minutes. Even though, I could barely see, I watched the best that I could.

He returned at a quarter after two in the morning and continued for roughly ten minutes. He walked down the middle of this street past this house and disappeared down the hill. He was less than average height and weight, with light blue jeans and a black hoodie. The weird thing is that I heard metal against metal, but the pole is wooden. I find it even more odd that he walked up the hill to do this.

I did not call the police.

This morning I went out and took photos of the pole. This was obviously someone in a midst of a mental health crisis. I don't regret calling the police. The pole sits on green space and had he ventured to my lawn, I would have called. As well, a darkened street, a man with some sort of sharp weapon, you can guess the rest...

Kill Them With Kindness

In the grocery store there was a late-30s white man with his son who was less than 2 years old, the boy was sitting in the front basket part of the cart dad was pushing. Not to be unfair but dad looked like a poster boy for a Trump supporting, -ist, bigot; he was pasty, chubby and sneeringly angry.

I was searching for a steak for mother and was out of my element having never eaten a steak in my adult life. The man was looking as well and I seemed to be constantly in his way or, something.

A jovial elderly black gentleman walked up and immediately noticed the giggling boy. It was as if they were old friends. The older gent told the boy how handsome he was and the boy squealed and reached for the man to pick him up. The dad turned purple. If he were a cartoon he would have exploded. The older gent told the boy that he had to go, the boy smiled and waved. The dad looked faint as the man walked away.

Not to miss a great opportunity, I waited until the man with the kid pushed his cart a bit further. I walked up to him and told him that I saw him at the steak case and asked if I could ask a question? I went on to ask if I had purchased a "good" steak and what would he recommend? He was a bit stunned. His eyes said, "Damn, another one. How am I going to hate you people if you're so nice?" He recovered an offered his recommendation.

Kill them with kindness.