Adventures on Beacon...

Two weeks ago, I came down with this awful cough/laryngitis thing, and since I didn't have too many commitments, I was able to dedicate a couple days to resting my body and my voice. The first day, I didn't talk all day... until I took Blitz out for his afternoon walk and myself to Baker & Nosh to pick up some lunch. When you live in the friendliest neighborhood, it's difficult... Well--Blitz draws a certain amount of attention pretty much all the time. So as usual, we had to stop and talk about him a few times. And then I got to the Nosh, and Dr. Barista was working. I call her this because whenever I walk in, she takes a serious look at me and asks, "What do you need today?" Not what do I want, but what do I need based on the day. She sees me fresh out of bed or post-audition and lots of times in between, and she really does serve my needs with a drink or some food and her caring heart. I bought myself lunch plus a comfort brownie and continued on.

A day or two later, Blitz and I were on our bedtime walk. Suddenly, the bang of a firework broke the silence. I looked up the street to see a man standing on his balcony firing a sort of bottle rocket gun thing. He fired about 10 shots, readjusted his aim so the sparks arched over the street a bit further, fired a few more, and as soon as the last one was finished, he casually walked back into his apartment. There were three police cars on the street within the next couple of minutes. A few other late night strollers and I gave them the scoop, and that was that.

A day of two later, Blitz and I found ourselves on another seemingly normal bedtime walk. Then a car stopped in the middle of the street. I could hear a dog barking inside. Two men got out, and I heard one say something, but I was coughing up a storm and trying to just finish the walk and get inside to go to sleep. Then I heard him:

Ballsy Dude: Oh, so I guess not then.

Me: Oh, what did you say?

BD: I asked if I could take you out sometime...

Me: Oh, I didn't hear you. Um, I'm not really looking right now, but have a good night.

(Walking toward me and extending his hand.)

BD: Oh, well I thought it would be fun. I'm (he said his name, but I was only half listening), by the way. What's your name?

(I shake his hand.)

Me: xxxxx. Look, I'm kind of sick, so I'm just gonna go walk the dog.

BD: So, can I take you out sometime?

(I assess the situation. I have a huge dog at my side. It's 11:15pm, and this guy just approached me. I feel pretty awful. But I have a realization.)

Me: You know, usually guys roll down their window and yell something disgusting, so thanks for not doing that. I'll put your number in my phone. 

(Maybe I'll never call him. But I like to think of this as a gold star for being both ballsy and respectful and treating me like a person rather than an object. Maybe I'm a bitch for leading him on, but in the moment, I thought it would make him feel good. And I really doubt he's sitting by he phone.)

Hey, can you spell your name for me? 

BD: xxxxxxx. Call me if you ever want to do anything.

(Really, Larry Life? Standing right where I was standing? Sorry, Buddy. But you've got the wrong name.)

Me: Will do. 

A day or two later, I took Blitz for his evening walk, and we ran into three greyhound owners who walk their dogs together. The dogs sniffed, and we chatted--just a typical stroll through friendly town. After a bit, Blitz and I continued up the street. This woman came out of Badass and Tex's building, and her dog and Blitz started sniffing each other. I looked at the basket of vegetables she was carrying:

Me: Those are beautiful! Did you grow them?

Garden Lady: They're from my mom's garden. I have way too much. Please take a tomato. 

Me: Are you sure? 

GL: Oh yes. I can't eat it all. In fact, please take a cucumber, too. Make a salad!

Seriously. This is where I live. Then Blitz and I got back to the yard where we visited with one of the neighbors and his dogs. And the neighbor reminded me to please pick from his herb box while making this salad. Who needs Whole Foods? And as long as I have Blitz, I guess I don't have to look too hard to find new friends.

Speaking of friends, that same night, I dropped off two of mine who had come over for the evening. When I got back, I parked the car, and Blitz and I were walking toward home again. We came upon what appeared to be a whole family walking together--a mom pushing a stroller, a boy dribbling a basketball. Granted, this was at 11pm. But they were just walking and talking. Of course, they took one look at Blitz, started asking questions, and we chatted a bit. Eventually, Blitz and I picked up the pace and passed them up. The mom called after me:

Ma: You single, sweetie?

Me: Oh, I've got my big boy right here (giving Blitz a pat).

Ma: You don't need a big boy. I bet you need a grown ass man!

Amen, lady. Amen.

The next day, I was standing outside in the rain about to go to work, trying to add oil to my car so that I could make it to work. Of course, the oil cap was stuck. I was standing there summoning my muscles, when this guy in a shirt and tie on his cell phone yelled to me, “Hey, I like your jersey.”

Me: Thanks. Go Bears!

Shirt and Tie Guy: Actually, I don’t really like the Bears. I was just trying to flirt with you.

Me: Well, if you want, you can help me get my oil cap off…

(SATG comes over, still talking on his cell, and after almost giving up himself, finally gets the cap to budge. I thank him, and he continues down the street. After I’m done and just cleaning up, I see him walking by again.)

SATG: By the way, you know what you’re doing, right?

Me: Yes I do. All done.

(SATG continues on.)

Last night, I was walking Blitz at 1am, and when we were just about home, I saw this woman a little younger than me looking a little lost. I asked her if she needed help, and she launched into this story about meeting up with this guy, but he wasn’t picking up his phone… She didn’t know what to do. She had driven down from the burbs, and she was super uncomfortable standing out on the street. So I stood with her for a little bit, and we talked. After about 10 minutes, I started to walk her back up to Lawrence, toward her car. I had just finished giving her my man advice of the week: It should be easy. It shouldn’t be texts and complications and doubt and waiting on a street corner. It should be happy and full of mutual effort, rendering it effortless. It was the first night I’d spoken those words out loud and actually believed them, found peace with them. Of course her phone rang right at that moment. The guy’s reception had been bad, and there he was to meet her. We parted ways having exchanged our contact information, and I continued home, still firmly believing in what I’d told her.

I slept in today, and I finally managed to get Blitz and I out the door for his walk. It was raining, just slightly. Halfway back home, a car horn. A grin.

Father Time. Larry Life. My heart.

Another too big coincidence to try to make sense of. Stirred me.

The moments too fast to process. Thoughts racing. Then stifled. Stuck.

Small talk.

Paw prints on a shirt to match your eyes. I brush at them as if my hands could dry them, and somewhere underneath, I’m registering muscle under cotton. Muscle memories?

And then another ellipses...

Leaves me a storm of pieces vs. peaces.

The rain. My brain. My heart.

I remember the first time I saw it. It was late. I made a right turn, and I suddenly found myself in this dark sea of wrought iron and trees and quiet. It took my breath away. Like its residents, Beacon is a complex street, and I've always found it to be full of dualities. It’s quiet, but the nature makes me itch. It’s a little sketchy, a little yuppy…

You know how there are some moments of your life that just pass and some that are somehow stamped in your brain? Moments that are strangely memorable (and why those moments)? Or moments that are memorable because they are just a little weird or hard to believe? Moments like these make life seem so magical to me. And if that's the case, Beacon has been such a magical little roller coaster. So many big things have happened here. Granted, it's been a big year. But I've been running away to Beacon Street for a long time. And if I really think about it, no matter where the roller coaster was at that moment, Beacon has always provided some sort of happy serenity to me. Sure, sometimes I think moving here was the worst idea I’ve ever had. But then I look around, and I find so much peace here. So this place is full of dualities, but it's so full of feeling. And sometimes feeling is what feels like home... or action... I'm not sure… of anything really except I've been sure the adventure will continue.

But Beacon Club is dissolving. Badass is away (again). And Tex and L are leaving. And A, L, & Lola are leaving. That's Blitz's favorite lady dog. Who will he play with? Who will I play with? I'm getting all sentimental wondering if we're reaching the end of our of magic trick here or the end of our roller coaster--I can't keep my metaphors straight. I'm just very thoughtful today. I've come to expect so much from this place--the dualities of action and peace. This is the place everything changed. And this is the place I started over. I could say both of those sentences about a dozen different times, and it would be true. So now the characters are changing, and I don't like it. But the character of the street remains, and so I'll let the lake wind carry me to whatever happens next... on Beacon Street.