Nice Evening

I had such a nice walk around by the swimming pool tonight.

It's a lovely time of year for walking - cold, foggy, quiet, magical.

You can sometimes get to feel like you're the only person alive in this dark dark world.

To the young guy who just drove past the swimming pool - and me - at a speed where he could barely keep his wheels on the road, I would just say this.

It's such a lovely winter's evening, try not to die on it.

And, if you must, try not to take me with you.

Okay?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I was on the ambulances, I'd often be coming home at three or four in the morning. I love that time of night, few (if any) cars on the roads, practically no people around. You can imagine that you are the only person in the whole world very easily.

I treated it as my 'come-down' time, a time to reflect on everything that had happened in the shift, to unwind before I got home.

Good memories, thanks for reminding me, Ken!

Anonymous said...

You know, it really is a wonder that you don't have more pedestrian/road deaths in Ireland. Your country road speed limits are insane! 100/km an hour that winds around a million times and has no street lights?!?

Be careful walking out there Ken! The world will be a gloomier place without you!

Anonymous said...

It's a beautiful picture captured. Loved it!

Jim Murdoch said...

I used to go for walks a lot more than I do now. Now if I go out of the house I have a purpose. When my daughter was very young and we were visiting my parents my dad decided he wanted to go for a walk and we went along with him. This puzzled my daughter no end:

"Where are we going?"
"For a walk."
"Yes, but where?"
"Nowhere."
"We must be going somewhere."
"No, we're just going fo a walk."
"Why?"
"To walk."
"Why?"
"Because it's good to walk."

There's also a wonderful little science fiction story called, if memory serves me right, 'The Pedestrian' where a man goes for a walk and ends up being picked up by a robot police car who assumes he's a criminal because no one goes for walks anymore.

Dave King said...

Amen!

Debbie said...

I pity any fool who would harm you while you are walking. There is an entire blogiverse that would hunt him down, to tar and feather him! None the less, be careful!

Jena Isle said...

Smell the roses , Ken, yes. I, too, sometimes forget this. thanks for the reminder.

And stay clear of these reckless drivers...lol...take care.

Anonymous said...

That photo has a eerie look to it. To me it looks as if Freddy Kruger could jump out there at any moment. Maybe you should not just be wary of the traffic.

Matthew S. Urdan said...

Seems like a fair request. Did you see how well In Bruges did at the Golden Globes?

Unknown said...

Really glad you're still with us, Ken.

Rachel Fox said...

Now you see if we had my way and cars were outlawed we wouldn't have this problem...ok...we'd have something else.

Anonymous said...

Andy: I always think of you as 'being on the ambulances'. I think your experiences brought a visceral quality to your fiction writing that I hope is still coming out - the stuff I read was *very* good.

Fragileheart: It's more about the dreadful standard of driving here and the high-powered cars we have blithely handed to our children... best not get me started... and what's all this 'will'? As in 'the world *will* be a gloomier place? Do you know something I don't? :)

Darshan: Thanks. You are succinct and to the point which is both admirable and difficult to reply to! :)

Jim: Your dialogue snippet is great!

One memorable aspect of my stays in America was the funny glances out of cars I used to get in whatever suburb I was staying - and walking around - in.

Dave: I feel your concurrence Dave, I really do.

Jena: I will dodge the drivers for as long as I can, I promise.

Lyndi: I think the photo has an eerie quality too. I think the midnight walks can sometimes have that eerie quality which I must confess I treasure.

Matt: Yes 'In Bruges' stands up to some scrutiny, I do believe. Two old comrades of mine were in the nominees, Martin McDonagh and (winner) Simon Beaufoy. I_want_my_turn!!

Jakill: Thanks :) I'm glad to be here too.

Rachel: We'd have boys running around the town knocking people down. Better chance of survival, trimmer boys. Hey! Where's my 'x'? I'm saving them up in a biscuit tin. :)

Anonymous said...

Hahaha merely a typo but upon reflection its not entirely inaccurate... you are a lot older than me and unless you're immortal, sadly I will experience a world without you and I know it will be a gloomier place when that happens!!

Gah sorry to have such a morbid convo but you asked for it!! Quick, sing with me: Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens...