Now You See Them, Now You Don't

Our neighborhood, , has lots of walkers. It is relatively flat on top of hill, the side streets don’t get too much traffic, and people like seeing what is going on in the neighborhood. We have lived here for 25 or so years and much has changed, but there are things that haven’t. I have seen the same people walking everyday. The sad thing is when you stop seeing them.

I am an avid reader of obituaries and that is how I sometimes discover when a familiar walker has passed away. Take the gentleman who always wore a bandana on his head and walked with such purpose, and always gave you a nod of the head. I hadn’t seen him or his wife for a few days so I checked the obituaries. He had just passed away so I stopped over to visit his wife. Although we had never been formally introduced, I had known them for 25 years.

Then there are the neighbors and their 4-legged friends. Lee is a former Marine, and his ultimate companion was Tanner, his big golden lab. They both walked at the same pace…slowly. They were perfect for each other.  Their walks took them out into the neighborhood a couple times a day and everyone recognized them. I hadn’t seen them out recently and found out why after neighbor called to let me know Lee had to put Tanner down. 

It was comforting seeing these familiar faces. There are new faces in the neighborhood and it is time to start meeting them.