Yesterday was hot and sunny, but today is cool and rainy — a cold front seems to be sweeping through the area. Of course, yesterday I wore a long-sleeved shirt and was hot — today (foolishly thinking summer had arrived) I wore a short-sleeved shirt.
We’re actually having a sort of a thunderstorm here — quite unusual for this area. It is nothing compared to the kind of storms found in the Midwest or Southeast, but it is startling to hear thunder and to see the flash of lightning. The ferry is rocking from side to side — not very worrisome on such a large flat boat, but a little uncomfortable. Downstairs, a car alarm is going off — it may have been bumped by another unsecured car.
About two years ago I forgot to engage the emergency break on my car — when the ferry got going, it rolled backward into another vehicle. They called me down and filled out an accident report — fortunately it did no damage and the owner of the other card was unconcerned. I was pretty embarrassed and distraught — it was the same day I found out I was laid off from my job at AT&T Wireless.
A nearby passenger just pointed out a bunch of seagulls vying for scraps in circles above a seal — apparently the seal has just caught a fish or two — I keep seeing the head of the seal break above water as it seems to snap at the gulls — I guess it doesn’t want to share its supper.
I think I could become quite a people-watcher, riding the ferry to work every day. It seems remarkable to me that there can be so many people and yet none of them look even remotely alike. As I sit here, I’m trying to come up with a list of types, based on age, sex, apparel, mode of walking, etc.:
Men
Grizzled with pony-tails
Former military
Technogeeks
Motorcycle junkies
Career managers (tie optional)
Sales dudes
Granola Cyclists
Merchant Marine
Aging preppies
Sports thugs (travel in groups of 3 or less)
Sweatshirted Tradesmen (backwards hat optional)
Day off Dad (with child)
Sports car tourist (leather jacket & sunglasses optional)
Women
College students
Sports Chicks (travel in groups of 4 or more)
White-collar moms (with child)
Sweatshirt commuters
Pantsuited Thirty-Somethings
Subdued Powerdressers
Almost Retired
Shoppers
Seasoned Wallflowers (thermos optional)
There is no hope for it — every time I think I’ve nailed down the categories, another person walks past who doesn’t fit into my groupings. How strange that people occur in so many varieties!
