blinded by joy

Last night, I stepped out onto the the street to walk to my car. The work day was over and I was heading home. With the grey skies and the slight drizzle of rain, I was wondering if this was the day. The day that marked the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Does the coolness of the weather warrant me to put on a jacket for when I go out later tonight? Or would I be jumping the gun to soon (as if a heat wave could hit next week.)

As I am driving through a maze of one-way streets downtown, I stop at a red light next to the big outdoor bus station at 10th and Main. This stop is alway full of interesting people-walking around or sitting on fountains, waiting, going or doing whatever. It was here that I had one of those laugh outloud moments.

I look across the street a the Osco Drug on the corner and I see a man standing and waiting all by himself. He had a look of concern on his face. With a tattered green army jacket and some old jeans, his tall and slender frame made him look a little shaggy. I then understood what his concerned look was about. Under his beanie, were a pair of dark glasses and in his hand was a long white cane with a rounded ball at the bottom. He was blind.

After his senses gave him the go ahead, he crossed the street swinging his cane back and forth until it hit the slight lip of the curb. Once on the sidewalk, he took a long drag from the cigarette in his free hand as he kept walking. Moments later, right when my light turned green, the blind man breaks out into dance routine. His arms are flapping like the chicken and his legs are doing the cabbage patch and he even threw in a spin move. I busted out laughing as I turned in the opposite direction and drove home.