“I’m walkin here!” – a Guest Blog

There is an aspect of this surreal time that is triggering a voice I have never heard. Normally, I am more of an introvert, often reticent to say anything that might offend someone. But lately, words are coming out of my mouth, that in better times, would not have been said, or, if said, would have caused me to rapidly retreat in a stumbling attempt to avoid embarrassment.

That reticent, maybe even timid me, seems to have been jettisoned and what is replacing it is, well, different…really different.

It may be the influence of my Dad, from the New York, and/or the fact that although I was born in LA, I was conceived in New York City…in the heart of Little Italy. But wherever the origin of this aberrant voice, something new is taking hold. And I seem to have no control over it.

I’ll give you an example. Yesterday, in the sparkling morning light, I was walking down the middle of an empty Main street – ironically, the safest place to walk – away from others who use the sidewalk and runners and bicyclists racing alongside the curb. I was talking to my friends on a call about a rather intense situation with someone we all knew. I was so involved in the call, like drunk driver, I had weaved into the bicycle lane. Suddenly, I am surprised by a group of intent bicyclists who surround me before racing off. One of them yells, his gloved hand pointing his index finger at me, “the bike lane.” I am shaken loose from my conversation by the whoosh, the explosion of masculinity racing around and by me in an otherwise sweet, quiet moment. The tone of his yell was urgent, castigating and with the subtext, “ you dumb a***”.

I responded with the speed of a razor sharp arrow shot from a bow. I excused myself from the conversation, tilted the phone away from my mouth and without a second thought, shouted back, “6 feet,” indicating that he did not respect my personal space when there were no cars in the road. Bellowing as loudly as I could I followed up with, “As****ole,”. And then quite naturally went back to our conversation, all without missing a beat.

That’s new for me.

It was glorious….The lioness roaring into the sunlight. It’s about time.