Like myself again

July 23, 2020

Anne went swimming at our near-empty gym, I walked to the bottom of the street and back, 331 more people have COVID-19 in Oregon, and the USA reached the 4 million mark in cases.

Go team!

We have more cases than Brazil, India, and South Africa combined. President Trump chose to cancel the portion of the GOP convention slated for Jacksonville, Florida, relieving locals of a giant traffic snarl on their way to the beach.

I understand the allure of the beach, having grown up in San Diego. Last week I spent several hours alone at DeMartin Beach while Anne and our daughter Alena swam in the Smith River.

I sat above the sound of waves crashing on rocks before me, then walked into the surf to cleanse my legs and feet.

Like after a baptism, I felt free.

I wiped the sand from my feet and drove barefoot back to our campground, windows down, with Joni Mitchell singing loud enough for passing cars to hear, if their windows were rolled down.

Not since I was driving my ‘71 Karman Ghia convertible had I felt the rubber of a gas pedal under the curl of my toes.

I felt like myself again.