"I'll cross if you cross," the man said, appearing out of nowhere.
I looked to my right surprised to find him there and said, "Excuse me." He was an older African American male, not elderly but older than I, and he was smartly dressed in matching slacks and a button down short-sleeved shirt. He held a folder in his right hand.
"This street always terrifies me. There's no crosswalk."
The man was right, of course, the intersection at the Mall's entrance had no crosswalk and was not very pedestrian friendly. The two of us waited for a gap in traffic and for the lights to go our way and then we crossed. He was hesitant.
When we reached the far side of the intersection he admittd that he is walking to the bus stop from his Doctor's office. He has to walk, you see, because he cannot drive. Thirteen eye surgeries. I acted concerned and he tells me that he lost his right eye, I then noticed the false one. "It's just time catching up with me," he said. He was very accepting and chalked it all up to glaucoma, which his daddy also had. The thing that really got to him was the fact that he couldn't drive, but he realized he was a 'danger' to everyone else on the road. He'd even had to get rid of his top of the line, tricked out F150. Now that hurt. A man gets a vehicle just the way he wants it and is unable to enjoy it.
We only walked together for about 50 yards or so, and all of this came out during our brief meeting. I wasn't even aware of the man a few minutes before and suddenly he's unburdening himself on me, a total stranger. It's the 1st time that this has happened. I often have people decide that I must be a good listener of someone with a kind face, and a easy ear. It used to weird me out how open some people are willing to be but nowadays whenever it happens I just nod my head, listen, and try not to stare at the fake eye.
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