A ride, some geese, and a prayer: life goes on


Possible miracle at the Waterworks pond.

Got my bike back from the shop. It was actually ready earlier than they said. I should have called earlier.

Rode from the shop straight to Cobbs Hill. The shop is on University near Culver, so it was a quick hop. I'm still worn out, so I didn't expect too much of myself today.

I walked yesterday, my two-mile jaunt. I have to do some exercise each day, no matter what. But it just wasn't as good as ride. And my foot -- the one that needs surgery -- hurt too much.

It was tough riding today. I forgot my water bottle. I had one in the car, but it was empty, and anyway, even if it had been full, there would have been too much bacteria from sitting in the car so long. Thought I would fill it up from the fountain on Cobbs Hill, at the reservoir, but it wasn't working today. I don't know why. There was no sign.

On my way back, coming down Culver alongside the park, a mass of high school track runners was heading up the hill. So I stopped and let them by on the sidewalk. I really didn't want to go into the street. Culver is too dangerous. Too much constant, fast traffic. Then, just before I was to cross over the Interstate (listen to me, saying "Interstate" instead of "freeway" -- the Easterner takes over the Westerner), I decided to stop at the Waterworks pond and watch the Canada geese and the sea gulls fight it out over food.

I was too tired. Today was a very tense day. I'll write about that some other time.

While I sat on the grass in the shade of a tree, four studious Jewish boys (the yarmulkas and the white shirts with black suit pants gave them away) ran up to the pond and started reading their Talmuds and praying. While they were intent in their prayers, six geese swam up near them, came out of the water, and inched closer to them, pecking at the grass with each step...as if they were listening to the prayers. Toward the end of the prayers, each boy turned and noticed the geese, then turned back to face the water without comment.

Then I heard a voice behind me, calling "excuse me...excuse me..."

It was a police officer in a squad car. He asked me if I had seen a "lady" recently, a woman with a shaved head walking around. I said sorry, no, and I had been there about 15 to 20 minutes. I like to help the police when I can. I wondered to myself if possibly I had seen her but hadn't noticed. Had she committed some crime? I turned back to watch the boys and the geese again.

A few minutes later I turned around and saw several more police cars, and four uniformed officers walking up the off-ramp from the Interstate, escorting a young woman with bright, fake red hair, close-cut. And then I saw the ambulance.

And I knew. It was a "mental hygiene arrest." The woman must have threatened suicide. Perhaps she was about to step in front of traffic on the Interstate.

For now, at least, the woman will live.

Perhaps the boys' prayers caught God's attention, the way they attracted the geese.


Posted: Tue - October 4, 2005 at 05:38 PM          

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