tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284893230469697578.post6554922237403562093..comments2024-03-29T12:05:09.910+07:00Comments on <b>Postcards from the End of [the] America[n Empire]</b>: Walk This WayLinh Dinhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328959360983573810noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284893230469697578.post-78761514834890595462019-06-16T23:48:35.221+07:002019-06-16T23:48:35.221+07:00Hi, Linh,
Cellphone addiction...
People nag at m...Hi, Linh,<br /><br />Cellphone addiction...<br /><br />People nag at me to get one, sometimes aggressively. Finally a category in which I'm in the top 0.1% :-)Rudyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03449122628917135438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284893230469697578.post-6280201251909761312019-06-16T08:46:45.360+07:002019-06-16T08:46:45.360+07:00Thanks, Rudy and mago, for the comments. After my ...Thanks, Rudy and mago, for the comments. After my morning walk with Suki, I'm now in a little cafe, where half of the people are talking, while the other half stare at their cellphones. That mad addiction is certainly in Vietnam, though not as severe or pervasive as in more "advanced" societies. Linh Dinhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00328959360983573810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284893230469697578.post-41099597673139994502019-06-16T07:03:20.093+07:002019-06-16T07:03:20.093+07:00Thank you Linh, once again, for an insightful and ...Thank you Linh, once again, for an insightful and well written essay covering a lot of ground. Heh heh.<br />A life long walker I still couldn't begin to match the length and breadth of your ambulations, neither kilometers covered, diversity of locales or human interactions.<br />However in my days as a city rat I covered Seattle, Boston, Philly and even Amsterdam. It's all embedded in the old psyche.<br />Wanted to mention a couple of high end zip code zones that lack sidewalks: Philly's Mainline and Montecito down Santa Barbara way. Keep the plebes off the streets.<br />My walking now is remote creekside with an aging German Shepherd hobbling along.<br />Wishing you all the best whatever alleyways and byways you may explore. Keep sharing. magohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06062029279291786593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4284893230469697578.post-13746870868538322692019-06-15T18:54:06.829+07:002019-06-15T18:54:06.829+07:00Hi Linh,
Fascinating as usual.
Reminded me of a ...Hi Linh,<br /><br />Fascinating as usual.<br /><br />Reminded me of a walk I took not quite a decade ago.<br /><br />-----------------------------<br /><br />A Chance Encounter<br /><br />About halfway up the steep less traveled path a pale small man with blue hair and earrings was changing clothes and staring at the ground. I simply said “It’s OK” as I passed by. I hadn’t noticed the young black man about 40 feet or so beyond. I thought I’ll just nod or maybe say hello, but he said, “How are you?” I stopped, hesitated and finally said “Well, I’m not really OK.” He looked at me more closely, then softly asked, “What’s goin on”? Words stuck at the back my throat, so I pulled out the rubber wrist band with its impersonal inscription: ‘My Loved One Was Murdered’. He read it, slowly shook his head from side to side, stretched out his arms and pulled me to him in a strong embrace. He held me that way for what seemed a long time. A short while later the young man with blue hair approached. The three of us said some words that could have led to friendship or even peace on earth had we tarried there, but we continued on our separate ways.<br />Rudyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03449122628917135438noreply@blogger.com