March 2004

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Driving home Friday as twilight was heading toward full darkness was interesting. It included a bit of the surreal.

On the less-populated segment of the road, the main thing I noticed and appreciated was that there was enough daylight left to actually see the sky; to be able to tell where the treetops ended and the sky itself began. I am always happy when something adds to my perception of the environment.

Once I got to my apartment complex, the surreal took over. Coming through the parking lot, I tend to drive slowly. There are children here, and other reasons to want to be able to stop very quickly. Good thing, because for whatever reason a man was walking in the parking lot, in the traffic lane.

He didn't seem to be in any rush to get out of the lane. It was as though he thought he was supposed to lead the cars in some sort of parade through the lot. And it was as though he were part of the lot itself...he was dressed in a color nearly identical to that of the asphalt upon which he was walking. I think it was his movement that made me realize he was there, at first.

As the odd procession continued, I wondered if I would be able to get past him, since there were oncoming cars in their lane. It worked out there was a break in that lane's traffic, so I was able to get by, shortly before I reached my building. Several of the cars in line behind me took advantage of the same break.

It was a little odd that none of us felt the need to blow a horn at him, or do anything else to draw the man's attention to ourselves. It was as though we all had some sense that he was doing exactly as he should and that to disturb him would be wrong.

Once I was past him, I turned into my usual parking place and stayed in the car for a moment to gather my belongings. When I got out of the car, I saw that the man was still leading whoever would follow, heading in the direction of the far end of the lot.

I didn't look out again Friday night, to see if he had turned around to lead the parade back toward the street.

I really didn't want to know.