The green jacket

Have you ever seen the movie Under the Tuscan Sun?

You know the old man that walks down the street everyday with flowers? And every day Frances watches him, tries to wave and get him to acknowledge her?

Well I have my own old man with flowers. Only he is not really old, and he has no flowers.

There is a guy that walks down Lakewood, literally everyday. He wears navy blue bike shorts, a white t-shirt, and a green nylon jacket. (During the summer, he also carries a white towel.)

We moved into this house in Feb. of 2007. Since then I have never not seen him. He is literally ALWAYS walking, on the same side of the road, wearing the same outfit.

If I turn left to go out to MLK Blvd, I see him on that 2 mile trek. And if I turn right to S.R. 60, low and behold, he is near K-mart. It baffles me.

Jonathan and I have had many a conversation about green jacket man. We have run through dozens of scenarios about his life, and walking habits. But my favorite is this:

To me he looks like Muhamed Ali's long lost brother. I imagine that he was also an up-and-coming boxer when he suffered a career ending injury. But because his opponent was illegally using performance enhancing drugs, Ali Jr. got a huge settlement and no longer has to work.

But his dedication to fitness and meditation has never faded. So he uses his 'training' time to walk. He walks to think about life, and clear his head all at once. He walks to keep his physique and fill his free time. And he wears the same outfit for no other reason than, 'it's lucky.'

Well, yesterday I had a break-through. I had the luxury of sitting at the light at 60 and saw him walking up in my rear view mirror. He was on a different side of the road yesterday, which was oddly uncomforting. This guy is SO in a routine, why after all this time is it changing?

But then, as he was walking up to the cross walk, we made eye contact. Eye contact!

It wasn't the glorious, long-awaited wave from Under the Tuscan Sun. But it was my own little victory and insight into my old man with flowers.

If dogs could talk...

Jonathan and I were discussing tonight that we wish, for just a day, our dogs could talk.

I want to hear what they think of us. Learn what they do all day while we are gone. And what is it exactly about the 3 legged squirrel in the backyard that fascinates them.

I want to know what happened to Jake before we found him in the middle of the road. And if Reese really likes dock diving, or if she just humors me.

But really, I just want to hear their voice.

In my head, Jake's voice is very sophisticated. Like a Harvard professor with a gray beard, wire-rimmed glasses and a cigar.

Reese's voice is very different. It is high-pitched and airy. She would absolutely chew gum and twirl her hair while she talked. Much like the tri-Delt I sat next to in Economics 101.

Jonathan has a very male opinion. He thinks Jake would sound like Hugh Hefner and Reese a cheerleader.

(Ok, the cheerleader and tri-Delt aren't too far apart....)

Talent Tank

I heard a quote today that I hadn't heard in a long time:

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'

I really love the idea of a person striving to use up their limitless talents.

I mean, just imagine if we all tried to empty our 'talent tanks' each day...