Saturday, December 16, 2006

I Was Mugged Yesterday

Yesterday was the first day of my Christmas vacation. I read some, wrote some, made some phone calls, put the Christmas lights that blew down back up, cooked, shopped, listened to some devotions, watched Regis and Kelly, and learned a new phrase - "mouse potato" (like a couch potato, but spends inordinate amounts of time on the computer rather than in front of a TV).

I decided it was a good day to do something aerobic so I drove to the gym I belong to, but haven't used for quite awhile. When I got there the door was locked. I assumed they were closed because they'd lost power during the high winds Thursday night.

I've needed a new pair of tennis shoes for awhile, and had some time, so I stopped by Fred Meyers and picked up my first pair of New Balance tennis shoes. They are very comfortable. I figured if I couldn't work out maybe just having the tennis shoes on, might have some effect.

I felt like Douglas Spaulding in Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine", at the start of summer "slipping his feet into the cool, cloudwrapped heaven" of a new pair of "Royal Crown Cream-Sponge Para Litefoot" tennis shoes. Every boy and girl has had the dream that a pair of tennis shoes would instill some special power, in my day it was Red Ball Jets that allowed you to run faster and jump higher.

I took my new New Balance tennies out for a spin around the neighborhood in the late afternoon as the sun was starting to set. That's when I was mugged.

I was walking at a good clip, and it was starting to get dark, when two young men in black came up beside me. They were both pretty healthy looking and one was pretty aggressive. I kept walking fast and he started talking fast - "how you doing?" "out for a walk?".

Okay - I wasn't exactly mugged, they were Mormon Missionaries. It made a fun story to tell B when I got home. Started out with a serious, "I got mugged".....(long pause)...then pulled the pamphlet out from behind my back. I can't say no to those guys or gals. They seem so earnest. I have my faith(s), being a devout Calubud (Catholic Lutheran Buddhist), and am not really that much in need of new ones, but every time the Jehovah Witness's or Mormon's come by I accept their materials and listen.

I'm pretty much a pragmatist when it comes to faith and or spirituality. Whatever works for you - gives you peace and joy, strengthens you, allows you to do good, love yourself and others - Great!

________________________________


Side Note - I noticed that I call the store "Fred Meyer", "Fred Meyers". That's because when I moved to this area, friends called it that. The store was started by Fred Meyer in Portland in the 20's, so the Fred Meyers appellation came about because it was Fred Meyer's store.

You will hear the same thing with Boeing from some North-westerners, who call it "Boeing's", because it is the airplane company started and owned by Bill Boeing back in the early part of the 20th century. I'm sure the people who say "Boeing's" - either worked, had relatives who worked or knew people who worked, at Boeing's airplane plant.


Posted by at