The world is a very interesting place when you are on foot.
I walked to Lindbergh Beach on the Willamette River. While examining mollusk shells and stones I came across a group of kayakers. It turned out they were searching for the body of another kayaker who had capsized several miles upriver the week before.
I refrained from asking about waterlogged corpse behavior. For instance, do they expect it to float? Does a week-old corpse sink? Is there a brief sinking (which drowns the victim), followed by flotation due to gases from bacteria (a bloater, if you will excuse the crass term), followed by another fully sunk and difficult-to-find state?
I had a hundred questions in mind, as well as tasteless jokes. But due to bitter experience I had internalized the lesson that one must know one’s audience before taking a jab at humor. And these were earnest middle-aged folk. I would have liked to say, “Sure, I’ll poke it a couple times and take a selfie or two, and then call 911!” but I restrained myself and told them I’d keep an eye out for dead bodies.
In addition to that, I noticed the first lizard I’d ever seen in Oregon. I think it was a western fence lizard. They darted about the stones and driftwood and sunned themselves on the asphalt path nearby.
On the way back I visited a Little Free Library and found the classic “Everyone Poops”. I read the first page and discovered it was originally published in Japan. I’m going to surprise a coworker with it. She’ll be puzzled and then thrilled. I think she will quickly and correctly blame me. People like it when you drop something unexpected into their day.
For all the death and disruption the novel coronavirus has wrought, there have been some positives, including the opportunity to check out one’s area with less vehicle traffic and air pollution. And some great memes have come out of it too.
pseudoisaac 