'Will they Call Him a Wise Man?' - D. Hopper

Yesterday morning, I was running along the lakefront, and out of nowhere a scruffy-looking dude popped out behind a hedge. The guy looked to be one of the denizens of the half-way house that resides on Chicago Avenue. The house is a collection of unfortunate souls 'down on their luck.' This scruffy dude shouted at me to 'stop.' Of course, I just kept on moving, I adhere to that rule I learned watching 'Apocalypse Now,' (remember when 'Chef' goes looking for some leeks for a soup, and he encounters a tiger? He runs back to the boat in a totally rattled state.) 'Chef's' credo: 'never get off the boat.'

So, for me, it's like this: when running, never stop, especially when a total stranger addresses you as if you were an intimate acquaintance. One time, Carla saved me from an unexpected thrashing when I inadvertantly looked into the eyes of another guy who had that same 'homeless guy' demeanor, part Long John Silver, part Grizzly Adams, who recoiled in horror when I looked him in the eye. That guy actually lunged at me and swung a plastic bag at my head as he screamed, 'Get out! Get away!' I almost walked right into that one with this goofy grin on my face thinking, 'hey, I always had a fond feeling for 'Treasure Island.' Luckily, that time, Carla grabbed me by the sleeve and pulled me out of harm's way.

So, anyway, I'm running along yesterday, and this dude in a scruffy old coat, with a plastic bag in his hand, sees me and tries to get me to stop because he's got something important to tell me. Of course, like I said, I don't stop, I just keep right on going. I mumble something like, 'hey, man,' as I go by. So, the guy turns and shouts after me, 'HEY, LISTEN, LISTEN TO ME, THEY PUT US ALL IN THE ARMY WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING. WE'RE ALL IN THE ARMY NOW.' I didn't turn around, I didn't say anything in response. I picked up my pace and continued down the path. The whole way home I'm thinking: 'You know, I think that guy is right!'