Answers along the way

I woke with a desire to run to my past. As a young child before the age of 12, I barely left the confines of the four fences surrounding my childhood home. I do not recall venturing out unless it was a school day and off to school, a Saturday and off to grocery shopping or Sunday and off to catechism and Church. Every now and then my father would take me out to one of his friends house to have a non scheduled, non organized play date. We would just show up, my dad and the kids dad would leave to go to the club or the basement wine cellar and I would be handed over to the mom and the kid for play time. This was awesome...but didn't happen often enough.

 My sister was 16 years older than I,  she had a sunbright yellow Volkswagen beetle, was able to drive herself to and from work every day Without my parents giving her a hard time. My mom and dad allowed work. So every now and then I would go to work with my sister......hookey day Kinda work!...Bridgeports Seaside park or Stratford Short beach!  There was a preference to the crowd at Stratford beach. The water was cleaner but the beach along the water line was very rocky.  There was clear water....but the tide would wash up black shrapnel from the Stratford gun clubs clay targets.  Even though the beach had black clay targeta and the water bottom was so roxkyvthat it hurt.   This was still a great treat for me! Going to Stratford beaches was probably equivalent to going far far away on a mini vacation. The breeze,  the sun, the sound of the gulls, he waves, the boats...it was a relief from the daily to do's

This is May...mothers day month. I felt the need to visit the past while running a few miles though the Stratford beaches and shore line and while it being May....the month of moms...ide visit my mothers resting place that is not to far from the beaches. 

Not having an active $250 beach sticker, I parked a mile away from the beach at the local dunkin donut shop. 

I stretched out, warmed up and started my run. I intended to run around the airport and toward long beach...about 2 miles and then head to "point no point", the wall, short beach and then back along the airport; below the returning planes and back to the lot at about 6.5 miles total. 

 

As I ran along the access road, the breeze was comfortable, the song birds sang, the seagulls gulled and running shoes below me tapped a slow tap rythm that made me relieved, happy and reminded me of why I run. I was at piece. My heart, lungs and legs all felt good. It's was peaceful, the run comfortable and this was a quick get away that I meeded to recharge my mind and body. 

 

Along the side of this road I always see a lot of litter. All this crap annoys me but I try not to focus on it. I think to myself that I want to be the guy who carry a garbage bag and cleans it all up. I almost feel as though my blood pressure rises as I glance down and see what piggish people toss out of thier windows. Empty bottles, cans, cigar butts, rags, lighters, all types of wrappers, dirty diapers, water bottles half full with yellowish liquid, those dental floss gadgets, condoms, you name it, I've seen it. 

I curse the pigs that throw crap out thier windows! Ide love to have all this crap in a bag and dump it into the car of the first person Ide catch littering.

The run was going well, I turn off the access road and fast tap toward the airport.  I do a few butt kicks and  get my legs ready to pick up the pace a little for the next mile stretch through this road that resembles a flat bridge over the marsh that surrounds me. The view to my left is flat marsh with the airplane hangers as the backdrop. To my right is flat marsh and the city of bridgeport skyline. Bridgeport is beautiful in the distance, as i run i think to myself...it looks beautiful from here. Here i run in peace as i listen to the birds and an occasional plane taking off or returning.  The diatant view of the skyline is peaceful, quiet and the picture of it is almost impressionist with the humidity making it somewhat blurry. 

However...I know how loud, smelly and annoying the streets along that exact skyline could be.  No salt water scent nor seagull sounds there.

Tapping a sready pace along and Half way through the road and I feel a quick oncoming urge to use the facilities for a number two. Ohhhhh noooo I'm thinking. There are no bathrooms for miles nor woods to hide within. My brain quickly goes into overdrive as I try to recall where there may be a possible Porto potty.   I slowed to a walk to see if the urge to go would pass, but it seemed to be on and off feeling that was the type of warning that one gets that say...Hey! Get to the bathroom pronto!. In my mind I recalled the Long Beach being open in May. If it was open....then there has to be a Porto Potty.  I didn't really want to gamble, I could go left back to the car 2 miles away or right a quarter mile to the Long beach. In my mind I thought...well if no Porto potty...I can hop behind some dunes or a tree line. I slow tapped a jog with a bee line to Long Beach which would be my hope and dire need for a Porta potty. I was tapping along at sub 10 minute mile...but felt as if I couldn't get there fast enough. I was getting so anxious that along the way I was looking for woods, tree lines, sand dunes, dumpsters...anything or anywhere where I could scoot down behind and out of site. I finally reached the point where I ran in through the beaches gate....down the road I see that mirage thatvi was hoping for....a vent pipe from what looked like a white plastic roof...oh my God I thought....yes my prayer was answered...... As I approached I could immediately feel the relief. I ran in locked the door and got down to business...of course i had to focus on making sure that my ass didnt touch anything in there.... All done...I reach for the toilet paper and.........what the fffffffffffffr aAAAAAAHHHH NO FUCKING WAY!!!!! no toilet paper!... I'm cursing and upset...yet had to chill out and remind myself that I was now relieved and could comfortably run again....thank you God.... I'm in this stench filled soil shrine...I need to shake myself of and just deal with the finishing step of the task completed but in a half ass way..... I pull my pants up and am like...no way is this gonna feel good. I've got at minimum 4 miles to go....im thinking....this is going to be slow and it may even burn.....I'm like (what did I eat last night? Did I eat spicy stuff? Nope...ok....I may be ok.....  I step out of the potty and head down the long beach strip to complete the road, take the proof photo  and head back toward the car that's about 4 miles away.   On the strip I notice...its early and there are only two cars here  One is empty...the other has a driver eating his or her breakfast while staring at the water. The cars were spread apart by what appeared to be maybe 20 car stalls. I start walking toward the point at long Beach assessing my bottom side situation and trying to sense if ide be able to run and...what I'm in for for the next several miles. As I pass the car with the breakfast eater....they roll down the window and with not one ounce of shame, throw thier shit right out their window and onto the sea side sanded lot!!!!!!!!!   First came a dunking donuts white paper bag with a bulge that appeared to have crap in it..... then came........a big ass wad of dunkin donuts napkins!!!!! Maybe 8 to 10!!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!! .....i know...i know...i know what i had thought earlier in the run..... at this moment I gingerly walked past the litterers vehicle with..... well ....a personal situation......

the car backed up and left the littered spot.......

I waited till they were out of site and did what I've always wanted to do.....i picked up the litter!!!!!! Hahaha haha wow God works in mysterious ways......I picked up the paper bag to toss in the garbage and I picked up the wad of napkins.  I slow jogged delicately back to the Porto potty to "WIPE THE CAN".....omg God works in mysterious ways... an hour ago I was damning all of those who littered...and at this very moment I was praising God for 1. the found potty and 2. for this evil doer who just littered!!!!!! 

Now...I Was able to get over to Short beach to reflect on the past escapes to the beach that seamed like vacations back then. Every time i get out to the water here I reflect back to the rocky feel on my feet and the black clays. The hot dog and fries that my sister would buy me, the sounds, the breeze, the smells.  Alot has changed for the better here today (environment wise) no black clays, the town dump along the water is wrapped up and enclosed. 

There is a golf course etc. The feel however is still the same. The memories are still clear and refreshing....just what o ne needs for a recharge....

I've learned to carry h20, a credit card, my car keys, phone, a gu pack for carb, calories, sugar and caffiene...I need to add some wet ones to the pack...

Ironic tho right???....Thanks to some liter along a parking spot..there was a 6 mile wrap up...nice and clean as if nothing happend.

I visited the past. reflected on the awesome times my sister and I had during those days long ago. I learned a little lesson in what I believe is good or bad and maybe litter is not all as bad as I think it is. I felt hipocritical today ... In todays situation however.... ones man's wasted / littered  napkins saved another man's ass...