On a dark and chilly night, I head out for a walk in my neighborhood. My jacket keeps me warm against the biting wind but the drizzling rain feels a little like icicles scratching my face. I step gingerly trying to avoid the biggest puddles along the uneven sidewalk. It’s late and I walk as though I’m the only one out on the street when suddenly, I see a bicycle racing towards me. I stop short afraid the rider can’t see me and at the last second he veers off into a driveway. I plod on, trying to regain my walking rhythm. One, two, right, left. To my left, I see three huddled shapes that turn into three young men, out in the weather smoking. I try to walk by unobtrusively but hear a shout, “Hey, soldier! Hey, playboy!” They must be addressing someone else but I do speed up as I continue down the alley. Suddenly, out of my left eye, I see a human shape coming at me from the left. I freeze for an instant, scared, but it silently glides by engulfed in its own world.
I’m thinking that so far, this has been an interesting walk in the neighborhood. Then I hear a whistle. I can’t tell if it’s meant for me. The second time around, I realize it’s not a wolf whistle because it’s followed by a man’s voice calling, “Sunshine! Sunshine! Here, sunshine!” I’m slightly afraid that a huge dog will come bounding out of the yard ahead but after I pass the pet seeker, I finally get into my walking groove. A brisk step accompanies the intake of fresh air. My muscles, sore from a long day at work, slowly warm up and move me along. Despite the chill and dampness, I find energy and solace in this ritual.
I turn the corner into the darkest portion of my walk. This side street has little light and barely any sidewalk. As I head for the brighter main street, a cat crosses my path. I lean down to pet its white and black fur and realize at the last second that this cat is a skunk! I take in the beautiful shiny black fur with a broad shaggy stripe of white, a cute pointy nose and a long tail before both I and it discover we were not meant for each other. I veer into the street, he darts for the yard and laughing out loud, I reach the broader avenue.
Now it’s just a straight walk back to my house. Hands in my pockets, I ponder my outing, and again, I hear female voices calling for Sunshine, Sunshine. So I join in as I walk. “Sunshine, where are you?” All of sudden, I lose my footing on something soft and slippery. I think I just stepped on a dead squirrel. How further is it to my house?!
I see the porch light shining through the moist air. I turn into my entry, glad to be home. On the unheated front porch, I take off my wet and dirty shoes then make my way into the warm inner sanctum, plop myself down on the couch and say to Jim, “I just had a very interesting walk.” I tell the story. We have a good laugh. And now we wonder if maybe I did find Sunshine and just didn’t know it! I hope your walks are joyous and bright. And when you get home, maybe you’ll find a pot beans cooking in the oven for supper.
Simple Bean Casserole
Fry together:
1 lb. ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
In a round casserole dish, mix:
2 c. cooked kidney beans
2 c. cooked butter beans
2 c. cooked pinto beans
You can use canned beans. Just make sure to drain and rinse.
Mix in:
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. catsup
2 T. vinegar
pinch of salt
Add meat and onion. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for one hour.
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