clippity clop, clippity clop. I sometimes, generally in the morning. hear the sound of horses as they walk down my street. police horses, officers riding along, slowly.
today I walked, towards the stable where the horses reside. not with the intent the stable would be my destination. just the general direction and I witnessed an officer. run a stop sign. not while on horseback, he was in an SUV which quite plainly said. POLICE. oh, the stop sign, it’s easy to miss and I think I’ve run it at least once too. but oh the irony. I do think he was speeding.
there was a man walking across the street. his sidewalk parallel to mine. hoodie and a convenience store fountain drink. and I wanted to shout over. “did you see that?” although really who cares. or should I? I guess I do or I would not be writing about it.
the park was empty, no kids. no basketball boys like I saw walking in line yesterday. one dribbling and most of them talking. there is something about seeing a group of kids. eight to twelve years old. riding their bikes or walking to and from. their only cares seemingly childish. although I am doubtful that’s the case. we underestimate what is going on inside, I’d say. now and at 15 and 25 and 45 and.
I did some research. a brief but not so gentle reminder. working on a grant application so I had a reason. a website which lists crimes. names and places and I saw multiples. spaced out during the year and those that happened just down the street. the ones I heard. no clippity clop that night. I generally hear from the girls. who and how they know and/or knew. an interesting place for me because I have no point of reference. except I suppose after a time one does. it is easy to say “I hate it here”. and it’s easy to say I’d like to move further in, further in, never ever further out. but saying is easier than doing or we would all be better off.
seeing the sunrise and the sunset during the same day. out my windows and it is a reminder. measuring time. currently I have no clocks. well, only on my phone. or laptop if I’m on it. but otherwise. the clock on my oven is no longer available. strangely when it is on the oven stops. as in trips the breaker and a dance begins. me in the hallway turning the breaker back on. me in the kitchen seeing if the oven works. me spending a week utilizing an electric skillet because it takes a while to get someone over.
back to the clock. I am considering purchasing a wall clock for my kitchen. I also considered, albeit briefly. once again becoming a watch wearer. I don’t see myself as an Apple Watch owner though. funny because I asked my daughter what she thought of them and it wasn’t positive and I actually don’t have anything against them they are just not for me. or any type of smart watch or whatever they are called. I was thinking more along the lines of. I don’t know. something classic yet modern. hahaha. I am particular about jewelry so I don’t see myself settling on anything soon. meaning I should probably buy a $29.95 wall clock. and hammer away.
January is a reminder. the markers of time. dates, dates and more dates. arrivals and departures. renewal. movement. I chose my words of the year. one of them is movement. to and fro and ebb and flow. across the street and to NYC and back. speeding cars with lights flashing. no one at the playground. because winter and pandemic and how many kids still live there. I am unsure. sound is movement as well. what I hear, from whom and how. sound travels and voices carry.
the donut store relocated and it is no longer an easy walk down the street. oh it’s still a walk and I will do it but it will not be the same. change is movement and there has been so much. I told myself when the bushes reach a certain height it is time. and I think they are going to reach it. probably this spring. I think it is all going to come together. a fork in the road which of course. means a certain move right or left.
a few weeks back I moved some of my belongings from one friend’s basement to another friend’s garage. where some of my things already were. not sure if that’s progress(!) but. now all of my possessions which are not in my current home. are in one other place. eventually all will be together. and perhaps I’ll have use for the rake and shovel currently stored away. I should also note my Columbia hiking shoes were found. I’ve missed them. except for the fact they’re about a half size too small.
my writing. for the time being. is focused on all of this. reshuffling and waiting. while spinning, spinning. a settling. not as in [I settled for blue because the store was out of red]. but settling like a house settles. which is a form of movement. and also a stoppage thereof.
Upon a Sunny Day 