Bullies

The second walk was a tough one. It was definitely crazy-driver day. I was nearly hit going and coming - at the same location. Crossing Sligo Avenue at Fenton. The first was a pick-up truck headed north, turning right onto Sligo. The driver did not yield for me as I expect he would, and came within inches of hitting me while accelerating around the corner. That was a heart-pounder.

The last was on the return trip. This time, the car was traveling south on Fenton, and making a left onto Sligo. The driver tried to turn across before oncoming traffic got started-up. The driver tried to muscle-me out of the way. Stopped oncoming traffic. All these drivers hurrying to get home and me, facing-off in the crosswalk. Very scary to have that kind of a confrontation in the middle of a busy intersection at rush hour. For some reason, the camera wasn't rolling. Go figure.

I am trying to provide some context for the unexpected events that occur during a walk down this street. It means collecting a lot of random information, and waiting until something happens. You can see - by scrolling through the photos - where these events fit-in to a larger picture

 "I was just walking along, mining my own business, and the - BAM..." That is definitely a phase that has meaning in this blog. I may take photos and video for an entire year and never have anything exciting happen. But, that's not the point. The context is the point. Pay attention to the context. Stop over-scrutinizing the specifics and look at the context. You have been immersed in this context for so long, you no longer see it. You have watched people suffer from the neglect for so long, that you don't think you can do anything to stop t. You accept it, and say things like, "Change takes time." Sure, where have I heard that before???

There is a tyranny taking place in Silver Spring. It is a motorized bullying - cars over people. You are less-person if you are not seated in - or on - a vehicle. The vehicle can push you out of the way. Leered-at for exerting your right to simply be there. A place made for burning gas, not calories. The path that carries my wallet to the businesses at the center of my neighborhood is riddled with dangers, and lorded-over by bullies. You know exactly how valuable you are as you step over or around the rubble. as you play a game of bob-and-weave with an opponent that will crush you and send your shoes flying.

We are the least of all travelers on Fenton. The expendable, vulnerable, people with nothing but shoes. Our credit-check failed. No one would insure us.  We can't afford anything else. Some part of our body doesn't work... Context.

Two walks from 5.26.

Click on the first image and scroll.