walking with people

'walkability' is a growing determinant of housing location pricing in the country. to live where you can walk to get some drinks, or brunch, is a big plus, or walk back when drunk so no one has to go dry to drive. that's why I pay almost double the rent (pointed out to me by uber drivers who pick me up) to live a city apart from where my office is. but cities in the dallas metroplex don't really deserve to be called that, on their own. whatever.

so you get brunch together (or maybe dinner or drinks or a combination) and you end up walking together. to coffee. to drinks. to one person's home. one of those. group walking. 2-3 pairs of ppl, some pairless. sidewalks are just wide enough for double walking, but if the group is an odd number of ppl, you squeeze three in a row. the doubles usually are couples or those who have known each other really long, long enough to not wonder whether they are friends, whether they enjoy each other's company. the three in a row will usually be awkward together. neither can tell if the conversation is flowing between all three or it is forced between all three, or if one of the corner thirds cannot hear, doesn't care, is wondering if he should just stop pretending to be a part and walk on, alone, between two pairs of ppl he is with.

some ppl are great at small talk. others are super bad. and some keep wondering if they are doing it right. keep tuning in and out.

when I walk with ppl, I don't know where I'm going. I stare randomly left and right, letting myself be led. especially if I'm the one that knows the city less, I'm the visitor. and if you ask me to retrace my steps without help, you will be setting me a big challenge. when I'm on my own, on the other hand, I realize I'm quite good with maps, I smile even at roadside bums until one calls out to me.

its somewhat like how women used to being on their own are suddenly with their partners. every physically demanding, sweaty task - no even the small easy ones - are suddenly handed over to their partners. without thought. when on their own, they could move mountains and the thought of calling for help wouldn't occur.

or like older men doing odd jobs and suddenly visited by youngsters. they have a sudden desire that the youngsters pick up their tools and walk after them, even if their hands are empty and as dirty as the tools they just finished with.