Three Days Three Ways

So, these are our places in common. 

First, I walk.  (Sunday, September 9th, 2012)

Walking isn't my favorite. I always get hot. My feet hurt. This walk is long. Though, there's something I like about walking more than any other way to get from A to B; I have time to think. Walking is slow, you see-- that gives you time. I'll admit it's nice to have time. 

It's nice to move as slowly or quickly as I see fit. There's no flow of traffic that tells me how fast to go. There's no real danger. I can stop and look. I can stop and wonder. I can stop and ponder. 

I decided to write some notes (here are some):

This might take a while. Once again, all I can hear is traffic. I return to thinking about fences. I try and find that one, strange fence-- but it's out of my way. I follow the river. I follow Water St. I take particular note of the open spaces right before I enter "downtown." When will this be covered in buildings? (I take fewer notes as I go on. Though, I do recall thinking an awful lot about how silly some new buildings look , standing next to old ones. And about homework, oddly. Odd because I didn't have much homework. I stress easily about school work. This walk was meditative.) 

My last note mentioned how nice it must be to sit in class and look at the water.

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Next, I bike. (Tuesday, September 11th, 2012)

I bought a bike from my neighbor, Teri. She's a retired teacher. The bike was once called, "the buy of the year." It does the job. 

I safely ride form Kenilworth Square to MIAD and back again. 

The thing about riding a bike, especially in a big city, is that riding that bike should really be your main focus. I shouldn't stop and look, wonder, or ponder quite as much. That could be dangerous.

In addition to that, when I ride a bike I can't help but lose focus and pretend I'm racing in the Tour de France, or riding a motorcycle. I pretend I'm going faster than I am. Sometimes I even make sound effects. For me, this makes riding bikes more fun. 

I had a lovely bike ride. Although, about the only thing I noticed was how much faster this was than walking. I don't like walking much.

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Finally, I drive. (Thursday, September 13th, 2012)

In a car, I'm truly disconnected. Everyone in their car. Disconnected.

On this particular Thursday, the rain is falling and our windows are rolled up tight. All I can hear is the muted sound of road. 

Eventually, I grow tired of this. We turn on the radio to fill the silence. I wonder how long it took to put the wireless radio in the automobile; how long it took for drivers to be bored by the horseless carriage. Sometimes sound effects just aren't enough. 

The car might be the most efficient way to move from A to B, though that doesn't say much about the places in common. In truth, I miss a lot while driving. And rightfully: the driver should be focused on the road ahead.

Here's my drive:

-- Jeff Brennan