Wild Ideas

Do you ever just want to do something unusual to give people a story to tell when they get home? The mate hates when I get these ideas.

It all started when I was just 15, naieve beyond belief and in Vancover. It was a lovely day; warm, blue sky dotted with little, puffy clouds, gentle breeze blowing. I was walking down a street near the beach and contemplating a swim. There was a fair crowd as it was about lunch time.

It was a city street filled with city people. People with expensive suits and briefcases, dresses and purses, jeans and t-shirts, polyester suits, tie-dyed dresses, halters and shorts, all trying to get somewhere and do something.

I was about half way through the block I was on approaching a four lane intersection. In the block across the street from me about the same distance away from the crosswalk as I was but coming toward me a man shouted. I looked up to see him jump above the crowd, waving his arms and shouting a name I couldn't quite make out. OK, I noted it, decided it wasn't a dangerous situation and kept moving. He wasn't talking to me!

Just behind me another man screeched, "Georges! Hey! Georges!" I turned to see a fairly attractive male jumping up and down as he ran forward toward the intersection.

The first man gave an excited yelp and started running at the same time the man behind me went shooting past me at a gallop! Both men ran with their arms outstretched in greeting and shouting the name of their friend. I watched the people around me getting out of the way and pausing in their busy day to watch the reunion we all expected.

The light turned green for pedestrians just as the two men entered the crosswalk from their respective directions. Screaming in joy, reaching for each other with happy faces, the men ran right past each other and on up the block.

I blinked, then I laughed. A few people laughed with me but most chose to ignore the daft action of the strangers and go on with their day. I couldn't believe they wouldn't acknowledge the planning and timing that went into something to make people smile with at least a chuckle! Stuffy folks, I guess.

That was my introduction to street theater. I loved it! I don't often indulge any more but I used to think up things and do them just for the fun of helping people have fun.

Last night, on my lovely ride home, I saw a man walking in the rain and carrying a black plastic bag. I think "picking up cans" + "raining" = "should offer ride" - "mate says no riders". Then I think, shoot, he could live right there and be cleaning junk out of his yard, not collecting cans and bottles. So I keep going on my merry way.

Now I am stuck with this terrible urge to get a sequined Mae West dress and a beaded shawl or feather boa at the Good Will and get all gussied up for a big night on the town. Instead of dinner out I would go walking down the country road carrying a big plastic bag and picking up pop cans to see what happened.

If anyone gets bored and tries this let me know; A.) How many people stop? B.) How many of them offer you a ride or money?C.) How many proposition you? and D.) How much fun it was for you.

I'm willing to post photos! Have fun.