I Live in a Small Town

Spending more time about Lakeland; either running, working out, or at Black & Brew has bred some level of familiarity with the cast of players around my particular social corner. On my past two runs around Lake Mirror I would pass a bearded man with the stunning resemblance to a hefty John McCrea from Cake. With each subsequent lap I would pass him as he walked around the lake in the opposite direction. Tonight I nearly ran into him and we both gave each other the sort of familiar double take as we placed each other in this new and different context.

Lakeland is just small enough that this person may end up being my best friend within a year and just large enough that I may never see him again.

While waiting for Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer to update my computer I sat and enjoyed my lobster bisque while trying to place a faint but familiar melody on the radio. After I recognized it as the studio version of “Bouncing Around the Room” by Phish, my mind flew back to colder climates and warmer memories from eleven years ago at Penn State with Kara. I still keep in touch with Kara but not as frequently as I would like or her efforts may allow. After reading some stressed tweets from her earlier tonight I hope she’ll read this and know I am thinking of her and looking forward to catching up again soon.