If someone were to ask me to show them 30 seconds out of my life that would define my personality and the way I think about life, then I might have to showcase a clip from earlier this week.

I was driving in downtown Milwaukee, and had stopped at a light. Across the street, facing me, on the right side, a blond woman stood waiting for the light to change so she could cross. She looked to be mid 30's, fairly attractive, and dressed casually but neatly. She was alone, and her gaze was fixated across the street, probably on the light, waiting for it to change, probably half daydreaming about something else. Her eyes never wavered from what she was staring at.

The corner was quiet, there weren't many other cars - maybe one on the other side of the street, also stopped for the light, and I didn't see any other pedestrians around.

Except - about 50 feet behind her, slowly shuffling up the street towards the woman waiting on the corner, was a man.

An older man - probably in his 60's, probably homeless, who probably at one time had a stroke that affected the right side of his body. He was walking very slowly, and he too, was staring off into the same direction the woman was.... probably wondering when the light would change and if he would make it to the corner in time.

He wasn't pushing a cart, wasn't carrying a thing, just ambulating slowly - first with the left side of his body ......then dragging the less strong side of his body to catch up with the rest. First left.......then riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.....left.....then riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

The blond woman never moved, her glance never wavered, and she remained (as far as I could tell) oblivious that she may soon be having company on her corner.

All these details came together in my mind in quick order, the woman, the gaze, the man, the shuffle, her oblivion, and then out of my mouth popped the only thing that made sense, I said it, by myself, in the car, and it was out of my mouth before I could even process what I was saying.

"They're coming to get you, BARBARA."

Yes. That is how my brain works EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. Permanently (and happily) seeing the world in Romero-Vision.
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Johnny, Stop It!
-Mother Firefly

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