Togetherness

A neighborhood family is out for an evening stroll. I am behind them and I see that they have arranged themseves in perfect symmetry. The adults walk on either side of the double stroller in which their toddlers sit side by side. The mother is on the right; her left, or inner, hand holds the stoller push bar. Her husband on the left pushes with his right hand. In their free hands both parents hold cell phones to their ears and carry on separate animated conversations.

University Avenue

It's dark. There is a man riding a unicycle down the sidewalk. He is spinning around in circles. The light changes and he has to grab onto a sign post to hold himself steady. I turn as I pass him and I see that on his face is an expression of overwhelming joy. I can almost hear him smiling even from inside my car.

Rock On

This time it isn't the usual sullen youth with the baggy jeans and the hip hop. This time it's a middle-aged man who has a head band tied around his shoulder-length grey hair. He's wearing a tie dyed shirt. He has the same oddly blank-faced assertiveness of other boom box carriers, but the one he holds defiantly to his chest, speakers out, is blaring Bruce Hornsby.

Almost

A very, very pregnant woman is crossing the street. She is pushing an empty stroller.

I think she must be practicing.

You'll look sweet upon the seat...

I hear a man’s voice and turn my head. Two very fit men in shiny, tight cyclist garb go past.

One says, “I can’t believe you agreed to do this!”

They are on a bicycle built for two.