*Quiet

Unforced Movement
Moving without trying to improve anything.

I decided to head on a walk early today.

Only after one and a half cups of coffee. A caffeine and decaf mix which enables me to drink coffee longer.

I also decided I could not take my headphones. I wanted to hear how quiet our communities are on an early Saturday morning.

As I was getting ready to climb the hill to start my walk, I noticed a police SUV parked in the church parking lot next to the trail.

I wondered if there was something going on that an officer of the law was anticipating.

Or if this was simply a quiet hidden-away spot to rest and relax before the day became active.

I got to the top of the hill and the wind picked up, blowing cold air.

My thoughts immediately went to,
"Careful. This cold air may affect your ears and balance."

I wished I had my headphones, if only to block the wind.

I kept moving anyway.

I decided to stay near the complexes and avoid the trails that would send me higher up, regardless of whether my thoughts about the wind were accurate.

It was very quiet.

I could hear birds from far away and the sound of air conditioning units running from rooftops farther down the hill.

The only time the silence ended was when a car drove by on the road beside the sidewalk.

Because it was so quiet, every car sounded louder than normal.

Then it would pass.

And it would be quiet again.

I saw a man below on the community sidewalk walking his dog.

I didn’t know him.

He wore black-rimmed glasses.

He and his dog were silent.

He looked up and waved.

All done without a word.

I appreciated it and waved back.

As I got near the end of the community, I planned on hiking down the hill to take the sidewalk.

But before I got there, I noticed the Shadow Couple walking the other way.

We call them the Shadow Couple because their dog is named Shadow.

Maybe also because they are like a shadow.

Always there.

Even when it is dark.

I had no desire to lock eyes or wave.

I especially did not want to engage in a fake cordial conversation.

Past conversations have been cordial and mostly condescending, wrapped up in passive-aggressive comments.

We do like Shadow, however.

So I decided not to look down toward the sidewalk and just keep walking along the road.

As I got farther away from them, I suddenly could hear their voices.

I had no idea what they were saying.

Only that it was loud enough to hear even when cars passed.

I was irritated.

I didn’t know why or how their voices carried so far.

Then a cackling laugh erupted.

Louder than the conversation.

I wondered if there was ever a time when making my presence known was as important to me as it seemed to be for them.

I kept walking.

The farther away I got from them and the road, the quieter it became.

I liked it.

I stopped worrying about the wind and my ears.

The communities remained quiet.

I did smell bacon, though.

So someone was stirring.

As I approached home, I could see the police SUV was still there.

I wondered again why.

And went home.