Whenever weather and workflow allows, I take a quick walk on my lunch hour. I go down Sass to about 3rd St. and then west to State & walk back up State Street.
I always wear headphones and sunglasses (unless I forget them in the car). To be honest, half the time I don't even have the headphones on. They are just there to discourage people from talking to me because...well, I'll just say it, there are some seriously freaky people trolling the streets at lunch hour.
Don't believe me? Book a lunchtime window seat Under the Clock (the restaurant in the old Boston Store) and see for yourself.
In the decade or so I've worked at the paper and have been taking lunch walks, I have endured lots of comments, a couple of gropings (I kid you not) and turned down at least a dozen people who flat out asked me for money (like I carry money on a walk).
Today, it was a filthy, broken-toothed wild-haired man with a McDonald's bag who saw me coming and held his arms open wide...as if I was going to come running and bear hug this obviously intoxicated stranger. Um, no.
I just gave him a half-smile-half-back-off expression and circled wide. He was saying something, I'm not sure what (headphones were on and cranked up today). Fortunately, after we passed, he kept on walking (he was going in the opposite direction of me).
If you're looking for a little lunchtime entertainment, seriously...you can't do any better than a walk up State Street, just don't forget your sunglasses, headphones and sense of humor.
Comments (3)
If you want all day humor, come to my high school and see how teenage girls like to use Facebook as a weapon and talk crap on other people :)
Thankfully, some of us are stronger that that!
Posted by Michelle F. | March 5, 2009 4:49 PM
Posted on March 5, 2009 16:49
My personal favorite is the "deaf-mute" guy selling the sign-language alphabet for a dollar a copy.........and 2 hours later, he's chatting with another guy on the corner of 11th & State.
Posted by Amy Bement | March 7, 2009 12:59 PM
Posted on March 7, 2009 12:59
Hello Heather,
State Street is truly an exercise in jungle life for a walk.
And, if you go down Sass and head west for State St., you will walk 8,000 miles to get there. Just go east....much shorter.
Here is a better walk to avoid city jungle.
Down Sass to 10th St. Go west (left).
Walk out 10th street and see huge homes and no people. You may go to Liberty, cross the street and head back on 10th St. (northside) (now going east to Sass) and pass Prep. Go back to work when you see the Cathedral and go up Sass.
Or another day, down Sass to 10th St again and go west anew. But turn down Cherry to 6th Street for the return (going right---east on 6th.
At Sass, turn up and walk back to 12th and feel safer, refreshed, and see all the trees soon bloom on that route. All the good trees were chopped down on State, especially the Row Park at 6th.
What gives with that?
Someone really hates trees!
Is that funeral guy going at it again???
The girls are growing too fast.
I want to welcome you to the club of "No Furniture Dusting" too.
I say, spill a packet of flower seeds on the furniture. When something grows, admire it. You can make the world a better place by letting gravity put dust and dirt where it belongs. Out of the air and onto the furniture.
Blessings to you, Dan, and the girls.
Posted by Danny Lucas | March 7, 2009 1:12 PM
Posted on March 7, 2009 13:12