Jonas

So my weekday runs feature what I like to call my "cast of characters," because the same people are generally out there everyday. The past few weeks, however, the "cast" is changing because the sun is coming out later and later. So depending on whether people are comfortable with starting when the street lights are still on dictate who you might or might not see on the path.

Here has been the regular appearing cast members for the summer:
-the group of women with their two teenage sons lagging behind; walkers

-the mother and daughter (I think); runners

-the two older women, sometimes with a dog, always with a big walking stick, and almost always in this stretch between the museum and the mile marker just south of the museum on the bridge; walkers

-the two, sometimes 3 women, probably in their 30s, whom Briget and I saw at the Fleet Feet Women's Festival; they're always heading northward just shy of 63rd Street, they're getting started as we're finishing up; runners

-the very cheerful man who is usually north of the viaduct in Hyde Park near the waterfountain, always a huge smile accompanied by a wave with his arms way up in the air; walker

-the older, very light-skinned gentleman who always says "Hello, have a good day!"; walk/runner

-one of my favorites, the guy who wears the same long sleeved gray sweatsuit and wool cap every single day no matter the weather, who nods and says "alright!"; walker

-the serious runner dude who always comes off the pedestrian overpass at 50th Street and heads south; runner

-the girl on the bike who ALWAYS has on a Shamrock Shuffle shirt, one of several different years and ALWAYS green shorts; cyclist

-the girl with the very African features, who is serious business and never, EVER waves, nods or says hello; runner

And then there's my favorite...

Who is this guy?
-he smiles and speaks everyday with an accent for which I've yet to determine an origin, "Hello young lady!" or "Have a good day!"

-he's dark-skinned with very contrasting practically glowing white hair

-he seems to be older, I would guess at least his 70's, though I could be dead wrong

-he always has looked so familiar to me, he looks so much like an actor from
School Daze, the dean of students guy. Could it be him? One day I'll ask, or maybe I won't. It's always kind of cool to "know" people without knowing them. And maybe I don't want to know. Maybe it's cool just to go on wondering.

And so for weeks now, I've gone on with my various nods and hellos and waves for all of these cast members.

Until today.

So I got a bit of a late start because I was by myself, and the sun didn't break the horizon for awhile, so I started around 5:45. Super late for me. So while I normally see him closer to the Hyde Park viaduct or even as far south as the Museum at 57th Street, today I saw him right at the 50th Street pedestrain bridge. We said our usual hello's and then it happened.

Him: "How far do you run each day?"
Me: "It depends, today I'm running about 4 miles. I try to run two or 3 times during the week out here, and then I do a long run on the weekend up north."
Him: "Aaah. I come out here each day, about 6 days a week. I walk 12 miles everyday, from 71st up to 31st and back."
Me: (Picking my jaw up off the ground.)
Him: "Are you training for the marathon?"
Me: "Yes, I ran a half marathon a few weeks ago, and will be running another one in a few weeks."
Him: "You mean the Rock-n-Roll?"
Me: In awe again, "Yes! The one in September is here in South Shore."
Him: Nodding, "Yes, I will be there too!"
Me: "I hope you don't mind my asking, but are you an actor? You look so familiar, so much like someone I saw in a movie once." (Does that sound like a lame pickup line or what...although it wasn't a pickup attempt.)
Him: Confused look, "No?"
Me: (I can't remember what I said, but I think I apologized. DORK!)
Him: "My name is Jonas, what's yours?"
Me: "Lindy"
Him: "Nice to meet you."

So we said our goodbyes and went on our merry way...ways(?) As I got back to 63rd street and completed by 50-minute run, another phenomenal thing occured. The African girl who is always so serious and never so much as glances my way...and I mean the chick is BAD! She's a good runner, with awesome form, etc... well this time she was already midway to the first mile marker north of the parking lot. She LOOKED OVER....SMILED and WAVED! WHOA! I nearly fainted.

It was truly a day to remember. Maybe because we're all coming to the realization that the sun is fading and now working against us, and that in another month or so, those morning runs will become alot less safer in the dark, that we should align ourselves with the humans instead.

******

And if that isn't enough wonderment for one day. At 8:25 pm, I was pulling off after dropping off my cherubs at their summer program, and who did I see turning onto 71st Street? Jonas! A hot, sweaty tired looking Jonas, some 2+ hours later. (Now this may be a big so what to some of you, but in a city as big as Chicago, it's endearing to have neighborly connections among the thousands of people you see throughout your day.


ok, over and out with the corny post.