Since my company has national clients, the front desk is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. PST and the average work day falls somewhere in that time range. My work day runs from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. I like to think that I keep Midwest hours; because that prevents me from thinking about how early I actually have to wake up. Sure, there are downsides to waking up between 4:30 and 5 a.m., like having the same social availability as an elementary school student, but there’s also a hidden benefit.
During my commute, I experience a world entirely hidden from the 9 to 5 crowd. I’ve had this schedule for nearly a year, and in that time I’ve seen:
· My neighbors returning from late night parties*
· Transients exchanging morning pleasantries in Couch Park
· A different transient pooping in a flower bed
· The rotating faces of other transients as they set up to panhandle at the I-405 Glisan off ramp
· The Sweeper~
· Morning delivery of The Oregonian
· Employees warming up the grill at Byways Cafe
· Construction workers picketing near the old Meier & Frank Depot/new North American Vestas headquarters building.+
· Still other transients sleeping under art gallery awnings and on the delivery docks along NW 13th Avenue
· Bread baking at the Pearl Bakery
· MillerCoors brands being delivered to Whole Foods
· A Pearl Bakery delivery van driving the three blocks to Whole Foods to deliver bread
In short, I notice all sorts during my morning walk to work. However, it wasn’t until this morning when I heard one from two blocks away that I realized I hadn’t seen a child during my excursions. And, you know what? I realized that I hadn’t missed them at all. Additionally, my mornings are so very pleasant without their sticky hands and bubblegum smell that it felt like an intrusion.
Yes, I know I’m well on my way to becoming a crazy cat lady. If my future is between embracing the CCL way of life or turning into Old Mother Hubbard – I say bring on the cats!
*First I get upset and disappointed in myself at having never stayed out until 6 a.m. unless I was working a graveyard shift, but then I remember that these neighbors are in their early 20s and if they keep up this kind of behavior they will not have the fabulous skin I have when they reach their 30s.
~The Sweeper won’t talk to anyone but himself, so I’m not sure about his story. However, he’s an older guy that wears a black hat with earflaps year round. Most mornings I see him diligently sweeping or cleaning out storm drains around NW 15th Avenue and Glisan. The Sweeper doesn’t appear to have loyalty to specific stores, because I’ve seen him sweep the street, sidewalk, and parking lots in front of businesses and empty storefronts. The location seems more important than the specific business. I can usually find him on either on NW 15th or 14th Avenues and within a block of Glisan.
I don’t know if the businesses in that area (e.g., Premier Press, Touché, Hawaiian Time, and FASTSIGNS) are aware of The Sweeper, but if they are then I hope they supplement his broom addiction since the companies are benefiting from The Sweeper’s efforts.
+I was unable to tell exactly what was being picketed since the group was still getting organized when I walked by. Plus, they were congregating across the street from the old Meier & Frank building, in front of the storefront at 1437 NW Flanders St., Portland, Ore., which (as far as I could tell) was also under renovation. There was a decent sized florescent orange and green wearing crowd gathering and holding picket signs. A group that may have been too large to fit comfortably into the storefront at 1437 NW Flanders, so I may never know exactly what prompted these men and women to congregate on a weekday before 6:30 a.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment