Went for a walk in the market today.
Saw a yellow-haired homeless man almost get run over as he absent-mindedly tried to cross the street against traffic. When the driver gave him an extended honk, he took a slow drag from his cigarette as he sauntered back to the sidewalk. There was no shame on his face, no embarrassment, no worry. He couldn’t have cared less. It was as if you could take nothing more from him.
I’ve always loved people-watching, and today was no exception. A little game I play with myself to figure out someone’s tastes and habits through their mannerisms. There were people on every corner, and so much wonder held in the mystery of every one of them. It’s impossible not to feel hope at this realization.
I’m always after that moment, when I’m caught between the focus and the enigmatic blur, lost to the colours and the wind on my skin, and trying to make it last a lifetime.
Your paragraph about people-watching, this is a bit tangential, but reminds me of the character Grand Admiral Thrawn from the Star Wars extended universe. “He was a brilliant military strategist and commanded the remnants of the Imperial Fleet in a series of stunning victories against the New Republic. His study of his enemies’ artwork gave him insight into their thought processes and cultures, allowing him to create highly effective tailor-made strategies.” This past week, I played Texas ‘Hold-Em for the first time and it was interesting observing how each person’s approach towards poker reflected his personality to some degree.
That’s interesting…reminds me of a scene in Patton where the German generals are studying footage of the American ones, and how they read the type of man he is from the way he interacts with his troops.
I have to admit that I’m frequently wrong about my interpretations though, and it makes me a bad judge of character. Nowadays, I have to spend a lot more time with someone before I really feel like I know them.