Walking and Strumming

September 25, 2008 in Unsolicited Advice | View Comments

Image by cjohnson7 via FlickrMost afternoons as I’m driving home from work, I see a young man, maybe college age or a little bit older, walking down the sidewalk, carrying a guitar. The first day I saw him, I had to do a double take, because he wasn’t carrying his guitar over his back like I’ve seen most people do. He had it slung across his chest and was playing it as he walked. As I approached, I caught a few chords, since my windows were down that day.

I saw him again a few days later and looked a bit closer. His hair was shaggy and he wore beat up jeans, and his guitar looked none-too-new either. He was just strolling and playing, maybe singing. It was hot, but he wasn’t concerned about the weather, or that the clouds were starting to gather for a late evening storm. There was no way to tell how far he’d walked or how far he had left to go, but he seemed mellow, and fine with walking however much longer it took to get where he was going.

I still see him regularly, walking and strumming, sometimes with a friend, but most of the time alone and content about being alone, and fine with the fact that he’s walking, just walking, not thinking about where he was or where he’s going to be.

And I think that’s pretty darn cool.

No related posts.

  • Anonymous
    Names are things our parents give us, but our words are what we choose for ourselves. Obviously you fancy yourself a wordsmith of sorts, so don't let my observations get in the way of entertainment.
  • Sonja Foust
    I'm sure there is much more to the gentleman in question than what I've blogged here. I definitely don't mean to pigeon-hole him and I certainly don't mean to say I have all the answers. But, I am a writer of fiction and I do like to capture stories when I see them, so this was a fun blog for me to write.


    Hope you'll all find something here to enjoy now and then, and I hope you'll feel free enough to leave your name when you disagree with me. :)
  • Anonymous
    I think it is pretty darn cool too.
  • Anonymous
    Your assumptions are entertaining, but too narrow and cliche to actually be true. Is it not possible that there is something more to this person that what you assume, and that in turn, you could expand your own line of thinking by challenging yourself to see him as something more? You have no clue as to what he feels, yet your writing here seems to tell readers "I have all the answers". Sad. As a writer of fiction I would assume these words to be used, but as a blogger of daily life, you must look deeper and question things.


    Then again, this is your blog. While life in "Bushackistan" may be intrusive and controlling, your blog should always be a place in which you share all that you desire. Do continue.
  • IlanaStephens
    Character inspiration.
blog comments powered by Disqus