A Walk to the Liquor Store

When i saw AQI index dropped to 20 and i was late with the coconut oil and got all stung by dust and out of brandy, i realized that i could make it for the missed walk today. So i didn't think much, got dressed and went outside. First thing i saw again was the sliding doors they removed yesterday from Apt.3. Leaned against a tree. All moldy and dusty and stingy. I was familiar with the pile of garbage between the buildings across since last night. But when i walked farther, i saw more piles of dust between buildings that i saw before and ignored, some more than a months old.

Then the trick while i was walking towards the street. a blond woman, the same as yesterday was waiting at the entrance of a building. When i reached a certain point, she started to cross, right in front of me, crossed my path just a few ft away and went to her car. Exactly as she did yesterday (at a totally different hour). I turned around to look at the number of the spot to memorize it to write here but two Asian women in a small gray Japanese car that came behind me stopped next to her and invited me to cross. I didn't want to cross, i just wanted to walk back and note the spot number. She came around the car, smiling at me. It was 54. Looks almost like they were protecting her.

At the street, or Meridian parking lot, i saw the skyjack with a bin in its jaws next to the containers and i figured. Those containers are for garbage, while the other ones on the second entrance are for materials. But why they didn't pick all the garbage from between buildings?


I tried to embed this map in my blog but they were changing the route.

Didn't want to take the truck cause i was risking not to find a spot on visitors' (BTW i know get a ticket every week for parking in a visitor, usually on Monday).

How many times i had to cross the street to walk 1.4 miles away to the Liquor store? I bet most locals have no idea what it means. To be a pedestrian for such a long distance. Wasn't that bad cause i'm used to the distance and the sky was gorgeous, looking like California sky, if not for the occasional smoker (vehicle that is) and growler. Accelerating the 8 liter diesel with modified exhaust to catch the next green, making me turn my head.

There are two things i still don't master in the art of being a pedestrian in Portland area and generally in the US. One is the countdown. There is no green light for pedestrians, but the "oh so much better" white and red countdown. You press the button and wait until it turns white and starts to countdown. But you can't look in other directions like looking for crazy drivers or merely the scenery while you cross. You have to keep your eyes on the display with the countdown. Cause when it turns from white countdown to red countdown, than it means what? That you are in more danger of being ran over by (crazy) people with tall SUVs who can't see near because they are too high, who have green and turn, crossing the crosswalk? Legally, you are still protected by the crosswalk even if they have green. The other is the buttons themselves. Some are touch only, some are push, and they can have arrows in different directions. So you have to watch those each time before you push or touch cause if you don't you can press the wrong one and you'll have to waste like ten minutes until you learn how they work.

7:39 Later this afternoon i discovered another new pile at the end of the alley or building D. I grabbed the phone to take a picture, but right next to it was sitting on the curb and smoking, the veteran himself. So i did not dared. Then i forgot, the evening came and i forgot. But i have other pictures. The pile in the bin next to our door. The bin is still here, would have been the garbage too if i didn't empty it in a Saturday about 10 days ago, after sitting there for days. Same goes with the windows leaning against the garage, that were still there when i took the picture with the motorcycle, a few days later.