Common Sense..............

I drove down to Monmouth County this morning. I haven't been down this way in a couple of weeks and was hoping to come across something interesting at a library or the Good Will. I was also hoping to continue my string of Events.

I want to draw Gordon out. I want him to contact me. Not just for Doyle, but for me. I know they want to stop him, but I want to talk to him - to understand him. After all, we have a lot in common.

I got down there around 8:30. None of the places I wanted to visit would be open until 9 so I started out by driving around the streets in Union Beach, which is where I first lived when I moved to New Jersey. It hasn't changed much.

I rode up one street and down another, slowly working my way towards Hazlet, my first stop. On Haig Street, I came up behind this guy walking in the street.

The one thing I've always loved about Union Beach is how quiet it is. There was no one else around. I passed him with my windows open.

Point, press, Flash.

I turned the corner, took Anderson to Stone, up Stone to Poole, and on to the library.

The Hazlet library is open every afternoon, but the only mornings they open are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. That's why I only go down to Monmouth on those days. However, the Municipal Court is also open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and it shares a common parking lot with the library. I didn't bother looking. I headed for the overflow lot behind the library.

There was nothing on the sale table that I was interested in. When I got back to the lot, I saw this guy rooting around in his trunk.

This is an isolated location away from traffic, and we were alone. Sometimes it's too easy.

Point, press, Flash.

I got in my car and headed down to Middletown.

It was starting to get hot, and I could feel the change when I came out of the Middletown library. There was nothing there of interest so I headed back up Route 35 towards Good Will, then home. I saw the Barnes & Noble's on my left and, at the last minute, decided to stop there. I had passed the jug handle (for you non-Jersey drivers, that's a traffic configuration that allows for a u-turn) so I had to drive up to the Toys 'R Us and cut through their lot in order to come south again. As I drove around the back of the building I couldn't help but notice this old guy inspecting his front fender.

  We were in the back lot with nothing on my left but an untended field. I slowed as I approached. I stopped and watched him for a minute or two, still keeping an eye out for anyone else. I decided that I had no idea what he was actually doing and started the car.

Point, press, Flash.

I left the lot and went to Barnes & Noble's. Nothing interesting.

I headed back north, stopping at Good Will. I've been looking for some bookcases but they had none.

On my way back, my daughter texted me, and I wound up meeting her for lunch at the deli in Raritan Center that I'd met Doyle in on Sunday.

I didn't get anything on the trip but I did have a nice lunch. And I did continue with my part of the plan.

I'd be back in Middlesex tomorrow, but I'd staged four Events here yesterday so I'd have to be a little more careful. I can't be crowding the Events too closely. I need to spread them out.

I need to use some common sense.