Directions

Today, north wind bit into my face and hands. I face it on Flint Avenue, it follows me, waiting, on the opposite side. Then it gets another chance when I come back around. I only go one direction on the track. You can really only go one way, and that's around. I always go counterclockwise, for some reason. It feels natural. If I ran faster I'd probably lean in on the curves, like a bike rider. I'm used to park on the left, street on the right.

Most people go my direction. Some don't. The dog guy with coffee cup goes counter. He ambles with his four-legged pal on the inside of the park, not on the track. He's in no hurry, walking with his amiable dog. The dog woman with blue hat also goes counter, park on right, street on left. She and her dog also stay inside the track, too. No coffee cup. They'll never meet, these two singles. Unless one slows down and they're both pretty pokey. They have a lot in common. I'll have to look next time to see just how much they do share. Some things I know for certain, though:

• like medium, dark haired dogs
• take time to walk the dog
• amble
• wear dark clothing
• say "Hi" or raise a chin and smile when you pass
• like the park
• don't jog
• like early mornings
• like going counterclockwise

You can build a relationship on this basis, I think. The even look sort of alike, except one likes to walk and sip a cup of something warm in a cup. I'm only assuming it's coffee. Maybe they'll meet and share dog stories and so on. I'll see them walking together for a while.

I jogged with a friend for a brief while. We syncronized our running once, just by chance I guess. Wow! It felt like playing in a band. What a groove. It didn't last, again, just like a band. Now I try to synchronize with myself: breathing, arms, muscles. One man band, I guess.

I've met others on my counterclockwise path. Some I catch up to, some fall behind, some overtake me, some I overtake. I always see people, they honk, wave, holler, or not. Probably more not than do. Mostly, especially in the mornings, cold and bitten, I follow my own direction: west, south, east, north and so again. Leaning into my own little map, sharing with myself.