Sitting

Today when I finally went to lunch at 4:00 and I found myself really wanting to just sit in the dressing room at Ann Taylor Loft with the door shut and read my book I thought about this guy.(The white haired man in the toboggan- in the photo. See him?)

First- don't think I was starving. I ate a Think Thin bar (that I got for FREE yesterday outside GCS where they were passing out samples and coupons...) at my desk around 1:00 and wolfed an apple while walking the sidewalk at 4:00. Think Thin- not the greatest meal replacement bar I've ever eaten... FYI.

Second, I don't really know how I found myself in the dressing room at the Loft. When I left the office at 4:00pm I didn't really care where I was going- just out of the windowless reception area for an hour! It think it was the red "50% off select items" banner hanging in the window--- then to discover that, low-and-behold dress slacks are on sale, well I just had to try some on.

But once in that quiet (I guess it's like that around 4:30) dressing room, faced with two floor length mirrors and lots of lighting- I just had to be honest with myself. Everything sort of washes away at that point.
And I just wanted to sit and tune out the world. Although I'm pretty sure when Beatrice, the nice young associate in the fitting room, discovered me all nestled up on the bench thirty minutes later, reading Walden, she might call security.

...

Chris and I saw this old man in Maine. He was just sitting on this bench. Looking out at this. I'm convinced he's got it figured out.

When I travel to places that are unfamiliar I enjoy stalking the locals. I even have a collection of photographs titled such. I like capturing people in their element.

I don't know much about ocean life. About living near a port or boats or decks. I don't know the swell of the tides before a storm, or the smell of salt water day after day after day, or how a mast directs the wind. Jetty, marsh, seawall- have never been in my vocabulary.

Today at 4:00 I'd have loved to be sitting here. Learning about these. Listening and not talking, not thinking a million questions or hypotheticals- but just sitting.