"it's going to be bad for the pitcher." Cervantes.
The day had worn on under the blistering sun in the nation's Capitol. The atmosphere of DC held its heat as the workday wound down. I was sitting on my wheelchair waiting to cross G Street to the Metro. I had just crossed 13th as the pedestrian signal counted down to Zero and the traffic signal was about to change. A man forged ahead on his urgent crossing followed by a 30-ish man with white ear buds and his walking music surging in his head.
After he had crossed about halfway to the other side, an automobile driver sped straight through the intersection on HIS urgent engagement. I marveled at the synchronization of the early pedestrian and the late driver. As the car zipped behind the pedestrian, he momentarily looked back at what has blown that wind on him. I was glad that his music hadn't suddenly stopped and he too stopped to adjust his tunes-device as I have seen done so many times IN the Metro while people are walking ahead of me and suddenly stop for no apparent reason.
I proceeded when the pedestrian signal began its countdown. The man stopped at the corner while attending to his electronics. I arrived as he was about to obliviously cross my path as I zipped up the curb ramp.
"Did you see that," he asked?
"Well you were crossing on HIS signal."
"He ran the red light. It has just changed."
"and you were already more than halfway across the street when he did. I thought, 'I can't believe that guy is crossing the street now'," I said to him.
"He could have killed someone," he proclaimed.
"Not just someone. You."
"He was wrong," the lament continued.
"Whether he was wrong or you were wrong, it would be bad for you," I said, paraphrasing Don Quixote.
He continued on his way and I grabbed the moving handrail of the center escalator to descend into the station for my ride on the Metro Red Line.
1 comment:
Actually, it was Sancho Panza that said it, not Don Quixote.
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