Double Chocolate Labradors

Years ago I met a fun storytelling guy at a friends Easter Sunday dinner. He said as a boy scout he did all of the cooking since he didn't trust anyone else's food. He grew up in a Jewish household and the whole Kosher food thing was a big deal. He's a big professional chef and married a skinny petite blonde vegetarian woman who is a nutritionist. They are an adorable couple. I think they both met on the job. He invited me to go with him to the SYSCO fair and collect all the free food they unload at closing time. Someday maybe I'll take him up on it and have a neighborhood block party with the leftovers.

My French Canadian pal Donat is 87. He resembles Mahatma Ghandi but tall and with a Groucho Marx sense of humor he is what I call a street guru. I adore him. He walks all over for many miles each day and stops to tell me jokes and stories when we cross paths. I often spot him on the opposite side of the street walking and talking aloud, working things out. He lives a few blocks from me in the elderly high rise. A few years ago he was hit by a car when he was walking on the sidewalk. Luckily after the accident he was determined to be healthy and mobile again. He's been back up and walking miles again daily for years.

I always try to wear bright red or yellow when walking and try to urge my walking and bicycle riding friends to do the same. It's amazing what people don't see when they're driving. Twice yesterday I screamed when a a car was coming and a loose dog was in the road; once on Edgewater drive when Brady got loose and ran up towards Lily and once on Hazel street when Shelby got loose. Coincidentally both dogs are middle aged Chocolate Labradors. They are invisible and the owners are knuckle heads for not being more careful. Shelby's owner bragged "Once they're hit they don't get hit again, my Pitbull just got hit, he said and she's fine but the car is dented" Are you kidding, I said, It's the humans who need to learn to keep their dogs out of the road!"

Lily is a dog magnet. Luckily she is always friendly, so I always cross towards a loose dog so they don't dart across and get hit. I would feel awful and responsible if that happened. I know, I know.

Heard amazing story on The Moth radio hour this morning, listen for Jenna Levin telling her astrophysicists love story.