I was a little bit late getting home today. No, it was not due to traffic, just an uncharacteristically late-running meeting. Traffic was a weeeee bit worse than average but there were no major slowdowns. I did NOT like the slowdown at the I94 18-wheel Slogway Jackson exit. My exit. It wasn’t a long slowdown but it is a short exit ramp and things are squirrely there and let’s just say I felt like a sitting duck looking at the rearview mirror hoping that everybody ELSE who was getting off at that exit took note of my brakelights. The vee-hickle behind me stopped in time but then I started thinking about other vee-hickles farther back who might not stop in time and for a split second I was terrified that I would be “accordioned” into a multi-car crash. *Finally* things started to move again. It usually isn’t that bad at that exit. If it was, I would take the back roads.

Years ago, an older man suffered a medical incident on that exit ramp, lost control of his car and careened through the intersection at the end of it (there is a stoplight, not sure if it was green or not) into a parking lot and building on the other side of Jackson Road. I thought “how awful” and went on with my life. And then a woman from the neighborhood started engaging me in conversation as I was out walking. She was talking about hawks and things and I was polite to her but had my guard up. Do I really want to be friends with this person? I felt like not, but I have been wrong sometimes in my life, so I gave it a try.

I let my guard slip enough to tell her that I walk early every morning. Oh dear, she wanted to walk with me. Okay. I walked with her twice. It was excruciating for me. First, I could not do my Regular Route. She had no understanding of me or why I do what I do. I accommodated for her on that. Second, when we encountered Grace Street, she fell into some kind of rapture or whatever about the street name. Oh jeebus! I was a small child in Sault Ste. Siberia when the neighborhoods that I now live in here on The Planet Ann Arbor were built and I *think* that Grace is probably the name of some ancient or dead real estate developer’s kid.

I don’t think my new friend was truly a morning person because we walked those two times and then I never heard from her again and I am certain that she moved out of the neighborhood. She did divulge the information that it was her father who careened off of the Jackson Rd. exit and hit a building or whatever. I can’t remember what she said happened to her parents (her mother was in the car when it happened). I don’t think they died but I am guessing they are not around any more…

But I did make it home safely today if a wee bit late and the crocus is what is in the back yard today. This is not early for crocus, just happy to see it bloom.

Love y’all, KW

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