No one walks

here in Phoenix.

It was 1430 in the afternoon when I headed out the door. Temperature being somewhere (in F) between 102-106 depending on which website you want to believe. Caveated with the “feels like …. 97, 102, 104” so figure that with 7% humidity you don’t notice that you are rapidly turning into human jerky.

There is some kind of canal near where my sister lives. If you hike up the dusty hill you can walk along the canal using it as a short cut to a major road. Noah walked me partway so that he was sure that I would not lost.

At the first major intersection Walmart’s parking lot was to my right. Skipping them, I looked across the street – cheap corner store, beauty salon, bird store and train store. Detouring into the train store (I love model trains) I spent the next 30 minutes discussing O gauge trains. Compared to what I have in the store room (LBG or G gauge old fashion trains dating from prior to the ICE), these are way cool. I really hadn’t looked at US train sets for a long time; I am so used to the European models. But I didn’t buy anything, not even a book or a catalog (it was not smarts, it was the thought of adding more weight to my suitcase that stopped me).

Hiking down McKellips toward Fry’s I was able to find an ATM, a Starbucks and a Nail/Spa place (recommended by both Beauty Salons in the area). I could go off on a tangent here and talk about frappaccinos and the pleasure of letting someone else deal with my nails but I will spare you the details. What I really wanted to mention was the fact that not once during the 2 1/2 hours that I was out and about did I see anyone on foot who was not directly in route between car and store.

No one, not one person was on the sidewalk anywhere along the road. No one was out in their yard. For that matter, I didn’t even see an open window or a convertible. One lone bicyclist formed the only exception to the enclosed vehicle syndrome. Lots of people driving around, many looking for that special parking space only five quick steps from the door. Admittedly it was warm out, but really. Living one’s entire life on wheels and inside air conditioning.

I walked back along the canal carrying a couple of bags and watching a family of ducks on the water. I don’t  wonder at the rapidly increasing size of the American public.

 

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