The Adventure of the Vacant Lot and Other Tales

Tonight I went to a birthday party. It was for my old roommate, Chelsea. She turned 26 today, on the 26th, her golden birthday. And because she lives so close to my new place, I thought I would walk to her house. It only took me 15 minutes to walk it, and I really enjoyed the stroll. Chelsea lives in kind of a funny spot. Utah uses a grid system, but there are occasional glitches (like Chelsea's street) where the street doesn't go through, and you have to know to go around a different way in order to get to where you are going. I knew the trick, and walked around the correct way, approaching her house from the east. I came to the vacant lot that borders her house, and just as I was about to walk across it, I heard a little rustle in the grass as some unseen animal made a quick exit. I wondered what it was, and that thought kept me thinking about the things to be aware of around me as I walked home again. I noticed things that made the walk very pleasant. I realized, I like the neighborhood that I live in/near. I was surrounded by the vibrant colors of well-watered flowers, the beat of a drumset from a basement, the sight of a big man riding a small scooter, the sound of children playing with a hose, the noise of children getting yelled at for playing with a hose, the buzz of a lawnmower, and the cool heat of the late afternoon sun. The summer days are starting to cool off a little, and the summer nights are no longer diluted by the residual heat of the sun. I like life!