Unexpected ...............

We just got through the "Great" Blizzard of 2015.

In my area the prediction was for 18 to 24 inches. We got about 6. The low amount was unexpected but I was happy that it was because I could deal with that. I went out around 11 in the morning and spent about 1/2 an hour digging out and cleaning off my car. I didn't go anywhere, just cleaned it off. No one else had done their cars yet and I didn't want to lose the spot.

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This morning was cold but sunny and I left my house about 8:30. The car started right up but I sat for a while warming her up. I noticed that almost every other car in the area had been cleaned off and dug out. Since most folks would be going to work today, I was hopeful that I'd get a decent parking spot when I got back. At least that was what I was expecting.

I took Rahway to Freeman and headed towards Shoprite. There were a few things I wanted to get and I usually start there. Near the High School, I came across this woman.

It dawned on me that this may be the same woman I saw at the beginning of the month. At that time, I thought she might have made a resolution to walk each day as exercise. It must be below 20 degrees out there and the wind was pretty harsh.

Good for her.

I drove on.

I picked up shampoo, shaving cream, garlic powder, and the paper. I was still looking for a microwaveable bowl with a vented lid, so I drove down St. George's to the KMart/Pathmark strip mall. Just as I got there, I came up behind this guy walking in the street.

I could see that the nearby sidewalk had been shoveled so his walking in the street annoyed me. He was too far out for me to pass him without cutting into the left lane and there was too much traffic for that. I was forced to creep along behind him until we both turned into the parking lot. He never turned around to look behind him.  I passed him on my right.

Point, press, Flash.

Neither store had the bowl I was looking for. I drove back up St. George's and stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast.

When I came out, Doyle was leaning on a Black Ford Explorer parked next to my car. This was totally unexpected.

"Hey, Denny! How'ya doin'?" He grinned.

I hadn't seen him in months - in fact I think the last time I'd heard from him was a text message back in October. But I couldn't help grinning back.

"Doyle! It's good to see you. I'm good. How're you?"
"Great, Denny. Just great. Sorry I haven't been around much." He seemed suddenly embarrassed. "There's all this stuff goin' on which I can't talk about, of course, but Mr. Jones still wants a detail on Gordon, so I'm up on what's happening with you."

I flashed on Gordon popping up at the Menlo Park Mall a couple of weeks ago.

"What do you mean by that? Keeping up on me, I mean."
"C'mon, Denny. Besides the medical stuff you've been through, I hear that there's a grandchild on the way. Congratulations, Grandpa!"

That was a relief. I smiled. "Thanks, Doyle. I'm really looking forward to it. Since the kids live near me I'm expecting to do a lot of babysitting."
"Good for you. I'm happy for you. You know, if you want to stop doing these Events, you can. You don't owe us anything. It's just...." He trailed off.
"What? ... C'mon... Don't leave me hanging... What?"
"We still kinda need you to be out there every once in a while. The shrinks still think Gordon has an obsession with you and if you stop, he might also, or he might do something totally out of character."
"I .. uh... I don't quite understand that. Since I hadn't heard from you in a while, I kinda assumed Gordon had   .. I don't know .. gone to ground, or something."
Doyle shook his head, slowly. "No. He's still out there, though he seems to be pacing himself."
"What does that mean?"
"Over the last 4 months or so, he's struck in 6 different places, stretching from southern Delaware to Northern New Jersey. As usual, there's no rhyme or reason to where or when he strikes." He stopped, and slouched against the Explorer for a few seconds before straightening up again. "But, like I said, Mr. Jones insists on pursuing him so I have to keep a team on it and the shrinks feel that you're an integral part of things. So .... do what you can, Denny. I'll cover for the rest."
I had to smile. "Let's be honest here, Doyle. I like what I'm doing. When the grandchild comes along, sure, I'll have other obligations, but I'll still have my alone time. Don't worry about it."
He grinned. "I knew that. It's just that we're kinda stretched thin right now so I'm glad to know I can count on you."
His phone went off and he checked it.
"I gotta go, Denny. Congrats again."

We shook hands and he got into the car and drove off.

I realized that we'd been standing in the cold all that time and got into my car to warm up. I decided to check out the Thrift Shop in South Plainfield for the microwaveable bowl. I took Route 1 to Gill Lane and turned right. I saw this woman outside of a QuikChek.

She was trucking along, wearing some kind of modified kind of snow shoes. Something I never expected to see. I made the left and then then next right on Wood.

I took this up to Inman and made the left. I saw this woman walking in the street, heading towards me.

I could see that the sidewalks had been dug out but the corners weren't. I didn't blame her.

I drove on.

When I got to the Thrift Store parking lot, I saw this guy.

All I could think was ... "That sucks." Your car starts, you drive somewhere, then your car dies. Definitely not something you expect.

I didn't find a bowl there and was on my way out when my phone rang. It was my landlord. He said that he couldn't find an entry for my rent this month. I knew that I'd paid it - in fact I'd recently balanced my checkbook and saw the entry. He asked, if I could get a copy for him and I said I would.

This was really unexpected and I was going to go back to my bank when I remembered that they had a branch office nearby. I stopped in and got 2 copies of the cancelled check.

I called my landlord back and made sure he was in his office. It's on Main Street in Metuchen. I drove down there. I gave him the copy and he apologized. I told him not to worry about it. Stuff happens. But we both understood that now he owes me one. An unexpected bonus when you're a renter.

I headed back down Main towards Amboy. I saw this guy up ahead.

He was on the sidewalk not in the street. Still, there was no one around.

Point, press, Flash.

I headed down Amboy to Woodbridge Avenue, then Main Street to Rahway. I turned into my street and found a spot on the next block.

Sometimes things happen the way you want them too and sometimes things are .........

Unexpected.

Factors involved .........

When I got up this morning it was cold. The indoor/outdoor thermometer in my living room said it was 19 out there. I used to believe that, but now I know that there are other factors involved. Let me explain.

When I was a kid it was simple - it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter and my parents told me what to wear. When I got older - say by my teenage years - I learned how the temperature was measured by a thermometer. At that point, to me, it was hot if it was over 90 (and really bad if it was over 95), and it was cold if it was under 36 (and really cold if it was under 30).

Now, that I'm older I've noticed that the TV Meteorologists have added a few new elements. In the summer, in addition to the temperature, they've added the THI - the Temperature Humidity Index. That means that although the temperature may be 90, the humidity might make it feel like 100. In the winter they've added the WCF - the Wind Chill Factor. Which means that although it's only 35, it feels like 25. These are just some other factors involved..

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I've mentioned before that I have a Saturday routine, and I started out early this morning. I had agreed to dog-sit for some friends for the next two days. I waited until they left then drove over there and dropped off my stuff so I could get back to what I liked.

I stopped at Shoprite first. It was the last day of a Progresso sale and I wanted to pick up some French Onion Soup.

I stopped at Wawa's for gas.

I've been watching the price drop steadily for weeks now. I'm not sure why it's happening and I don't know how long it will last. I'm sure there are various economic factors involved.

I picked up the paper and had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts.

I hadn't seen anyone walking around outside but I figured that the cold had kept people inside.

I headed to the Menlo Park Mall to sit back, finish my coffee, read the paper, and do the crossword puzzles. They still haven't finished setting up the area I prefer to sit in, so I took my second favorite spot. It's near the central fountain on the main floor, next to a cell-phone charger. There are 2 arm chairs there and I like to sit on the right side so I can put my coffee up on the stand.

I opened my paper and checked out my Quick-pick Mega Millions ticket first. No luck.

I scanned the news, checked out the funnies, finished the first crossword puzzle (the Star Ledger, my local paper, has two) and started on the second when - out of the corner of my eye - I noticed someone take the chair on the other side of the charger.

"Hello Denny! Happy New Year! Please don't react to me in any way. Just continue with your puzzle."

Gordon.

"Hey .... ah ... Gordon ....I'm not sure what you want me to do here."
"Just keep on doing your puzzle and I'll pretend to check out some stuff on my phone."
"OK. ... So ... how've you been? I haven't heard from you in a while."
"I've been busy, of course. Things didn't quite work out last year so I'm trying to come up with an alternate plan."

 I thought about that for a bit and then it hit me.

"That's right. You told me that everything would be over by the end of the year. So ... what happened?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him flinch a little.
"He was supposed to be at a New Year's Eve party at the Woodbridge Hilton. It was being thrown by the Republican Party of Middlesex County. He didn't show up .... said something came up ... some terrorist activity or some other crap." His voice was starting to rise and he stopped to get himself under control. "I was all set, too."

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I didn't. I waited for him.

"You know, Denny, you can make all kinds of plans but, sometimes, there are other factors involved."
"Yeah. I guess so. What're you gonna do now? And who are you talking about?"
"I'm gonna have to rearrange some things, is all. I'll get him. You can bet on it."

Just then his phone went off.
"Hah. I gotta get this. I've been waiting for it."
As he checked his phone, I took a quick photo but, because of the angle, I didn't get his face.

He stood up abruptly.
"I gotta go but I'll be in touch. Glad to see you're doing good. See ya around, Denny."
He left before I could reply.

I sat there for a while trying to figure out what he was talking about but I couldn't come up with any answers. I got up to go back to the house.

I wasn't going to let it bother me.
 There were too many factors involved.

Calm And Bright .................

It's the first morning of the first day of the first month of the new year.

I couldn't help thinking - as I watched the broadcast from Time's Square last night - that a lot of the crowd were there not just to see in the new year but to make sure the old one left. It wasn't one of the best, considering the volume of horrible situations that filled the news broadcasts and the papers.

Still, the sun was shining brightly and I left my apartment with a sense of hope for this year, especially since it will bring a new addition to my extended family. It was cold out but there was no wind so it didn't feel as bad as yesterday. If I was someone who goes out to walk, jog, or run, I would've called it exhilarating. I'm not, of course, but I did enjoy the quiet as I sat in the car while it warmed up.

I drove up to Shoprite and was struck by something I noticed - there was practically no traffic and very few people about. I know it's a holiday but it was as if the world decided to sleep in.

Well, most of the world.

I saw this woman walking in my direction as I passed by the local High School.

She had that purposeful stride that, I imagine, someone who decided to exercise in the new year must have. I drove on by. Far be it for me to ruin her resolution.

I picked up a few things and stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast.

Then I decided to just drive around. I didn't need anything and I didn't have to be anywhere but I was feeling good.

I took the long way up St. George to Main Street, then down Main to Amboy. I didn't have the radio on and I actually made every light. I was enjoying this, and I began to see some people out and about.

Along Amboy, in the Clara Barton section, I saw this guy sitting on a bench.

He was waiting for the bus, I guessed, and was probably headed for work. Not everyone has the holidays off. I wished him well and drove on.

There's a lot to be said about just driving around when very few cars are sharing the road with you and you're hitting the lights.

 It feels great.

There's a freedom to it.

But ............ if you're smart you'll realize that you're doing 60 in a 25 MPH zone and slow down.

I turned up Gill in the direction of Route 1. This is a narrow, winding road that cuts through a cemetery. Up ahead, I saw this guy coming in my direction.

I couldn't come up with a reason for why he was out here.

Point, press, Flash.

I headed for home. There were more cars out now, and more people.

The moment, I guess, was over.

That's when the Christmas Carol "Silent Night" crossed my mind. It's about that one perfect, peaceful night. I couldn't help applying the lyrics to this morning. It was ...

calm and bright.