One Ride at a Time

This is the onliest photo I took today. Luckily it’s in focus. One of those days where the weather changes every minute, from rain to sun and back again. We managed a walk during the sun part, although minutes before I watched as hail jumped around on the rippled surface of the carport. Anyway, the bus: a couple years ago the Metro commissioned about 30 buses to be fitted with unique environmental photos, most of them by world-renowned nature photographer Franz Lanting. The project intends to raise awareness about environmental issues, encourage bus ridership, and give us all something gorgeous to look at as we go about our days. This image showcases Monarch butterflies; others feature whales, dolphins, seals, redwoods, otters, local landscapes, birds.

I’ve been thinking about the assignment for my discussion group on aging: pay attention to your interactions with people, especially the young and the old. After several days, the biggest note I have is that I really don’t interact with anyone very much. Hard to avoid Mr S, but otherwise I could go for days without contact, meaningful or otherwise. Today: unsatisfying phone conversation with a customer service agent; pleasant but brief encounter with the clerk in the pharmacy; passing hello to the librarian. Yesterday: lovely unexpected meeting with former student employees: a few minutes of heartfelt joy at finding we were all still alive; utilitarian face to face with somewhat surly grocery store clerk. Saturday: lunch with six friends, comfortable, but hard to say what we talked about. So, you get the idea. Sometimes I wonder if I’m invisible. Or if I make myself invisible. I remember being young, and so scornful of settled old people who could eat an entire meal together without really talking about anything.