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Beep-Beep-Good Morning
North Miami Beach, FL March 4,
2001 Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcome.
"BEEP-BEEP", "GOOD MORNING"
This is recasting an essay I wrote after biking in Delray Beach several
years ago. I relished the feeling of an early morning outing but was wary
of the walkers who took advantage of the shaded sidewalks - particularly
beside the narrow AIA, the last road before the ocean.
Here in North Miami Beach (which does not have a beach and is nowhere near
Miami) the choices to traverse are limited to sidewalks or the roads and
just a few bicycle paths. There are, however, the ever present canals cut
early in last century to control flooding and provide gravel for the roads
that were needed to navigate the long Florida peninsula. These canals have
been recently reworked to provide bicycle paths, a lane for joggers and
benches and tables all prettified with plantings. My itinerary goes through
Greynolds Park that has excellent roads and paths that are tree shaded and
where traffic is slow and light. I make a big circle from home to the canal
through the park and back. This is roughly ten miles and takes under an hour
early in the morning.
Up in Delray I developed a method of communication with other early morning
passersby. "Good Morning" was discovered to sometimes get a smile and a
return of greeting. "Beep-Beep" was my warning to walkers ahead of me that
I was coming. Most deciphered "Beep-Beep" after a second or two and
turning, scampered to make way. They usually smile and answer my call to
scatter with a rusty, "good morning". The old-timers are slower but when not
threatened are relieved and are gracious.
It is a given that most people in busy cities look inward and any place
other than in the faces of oncoming hustling people. Here in sunny Florida
where most people stay indoors in the heat of the day, when they do get out
they are more open to greetings.
I now have a clientele who recognize the big fat guy with beard, helmet and
fisherman's vest bulging with all kinds of things who smiles at them and
calls out, "Beep-Beep" and "Good Morning". They cooperatively move out of
the way and sometimes I get a wave or expression that says, "Way to Go!"
Carol's Evaluation:10 out of 10.
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