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On a bike ride...
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.I was pedaling by this guy...
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.I wondered how far he was going with his heavy load. I almost did what I usually do in such instances: keep to myself and move on. But I decided to get over the mental hump that usually renders me silent and hollered over to him, "Where ya headed?" He hollered back in a joking tone, "To hell! I wanna see my ex-wife again." I complimented his wit with a laugh, pedaled on...
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and soon came upon this man...
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.I was curious how he lost his leg. But even coasting on the wind of a fresh mental victory, I couldn't get over the voice inside that told me not to bother him. The voice that warned me not to be a space invader. I passed by him in silence, pedaled on...
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and stopped to ponder this...
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.I moved on and found a gathering of drummers...
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Where I saw this woman enjoying herself as she watched a newly walking toddler bouncing to the beat.
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.The drummers disbanded and I headed back home the way I came.
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I came across the man with the missing leg again. He was off his crutches leaning against the path railing gazing out to sea. I found myself stopping next to him for a wave check.
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.But the truth is I had ulterior motives. The truth is my curiosity was still nagging at me. I quietly watched the waves for a few minutes, then asked, "How's it goin'?". He turned to me, replied, "Alright." in a tone that communicated as politely as possible that he wanted to be alone, and he turned his attention back to the sea. I was struck by an internal lightning bolt and the resulting thunder that followed inside my head was, "I'M SUCH AN ASSHOLE!!!" I ditched all intentions of asking him about his leg, quietly watched a few more waves, then said goodbye and pedaled away ashamed that I allowed my selfish curiosity to interrupt what may have been his one moment of peace in the day, possibly the one moment he was free of thoughts about his loss.
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A mile or so later, a 4-ish year old girl, standing in the sand alongside the path, was making a fun activity out of waving at all the people jogging and riding bikes past her. She waved and smiled at me. I was reminded that sometimes a silent smile and simple wave of the hand is best, that sometimes talking is unnecessary.
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