Soon after disembarking, my hearing sharpened, my skin cooled, and the hair on my arms stood.

Everyone else I met on the walk had heads up, shoulders back, and stern looks.

All of them.

Three teenagers sat below the bus stop line. I complimented them on how well they blended in. I didn't fully see them sitting in their dark clothes in the shade until I was almost upon them. I was trying to be encouraging. Being stealthy could save them one day.

The compliment didn't land well.

It was 78F, and I was in my T-shirt and sunglasses.

As I passed them, I simultaneously delivered the compliment and noticed the multiple layers they wore. Two shirts and coats, all of them. Head caps, hoods, jackets, and their shoes held together with duct tape. I noticed the dirt in places where it'd been much too long.

Young.

Too young.

12-14, maybe?

Homeless.

• Were they on their way to a friend’s house? A place to eat? A sleeping spot?

• If they had homes, were they safe and provided for?

• Did they have parents? Did their parents care?

Walking past them, I pretended not to notice these things. I know, and they know, and they know I know. They said nothing, only returning to me the same stern look I saw in the others.

Their faces remained stern. The compliments were not accepted.

They began whispering to themselves and eyeing me up and down. I tried to ignore my heightened senses and allowed the edge of fear to propel my pace slightly faster.

• What are the chances there are valuables in that bag of hers?

• Can we get away with it right now and not miss the bus?

• Can we afford to go to juvie tonight?

Half a block later, rounding the corner, I found myself alone.

I'm out of shape, well aware of my inability to outrun a true threat. I could possibly fend off one of them, but not all three together.

Had they attacked, I would have been significantly injured for my choice. This scenario wouldn’t have readily entered the imagination a few decades ago.

Today, things are a little more unpredictable.

I completed my errands and walked back.

Other pedestrians joined me on my way down the hill, but their energy felt dark and angry. One person kept pace behind me, a little too close for comfort.

I veered off into the bank parking lot beneath the cameras I noticed on my way up. I stayed in the bank parking lot, cutting across more than one commercial property to avoid the crowds.

My nice afternoon walk turned into an exercise in hyperawareness.

Life is extra expensive in the Pacific Northwest right now.

Many of these people have long commutes, and the economy is stretching their spending power extra thin. If they have multiple jobs or trouble at home, they aren’t sleeping well on top of everything else they juggle.

People can only take so much for so long.

We are sometimes forced to work to our breaking points. When it's not good enough, we can be driven into the streets, regardless of age, capability, or circumstance.

Returning to the van and locking myself in, I counted my blessings once more:

• A roof over my head

• A job that pays enough

• People who would care if I went missing

Counting our blessings puts things into perspective, balancing and transforming some of our loads.

Being grateful doesn't protect us from life's circumstances.

While making plans, it's always good to be realistic, slow down if necessary, and choose different paths to help you be more secure as you move forward.

Sometimes navigating faster means taking time to reflect, think, and analyze before making your next move.

Dear Scribbler

No questions were received this week.

One Line

One-liners are sentences meant to prompt your memories and stimulate your creativity. Use them, if you want, to see what your brain comes up with. Do you see an image in your mind, feel something, remember something?

Whatever it is, start writing it down. There's no right or wrong answer. 🥳

Every day, at 10:30 am, two rabbits jump across the driveway, hide under the bushes, and ignore the squirrels that follow.

Mission

Go outdoors or view an image of the outdoors. Write down everything you see in the order you notice it. Everything in the image you’re looking at. Try to be detailed.

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