So, a week ago today we landed in Vero Beach, Florida, ready to begin work on How To Succeed. The cast got settled into our wonderful living accommodations, and after a cursory glance around town, I had in mind a few different routes I thought I might try to run while I’m here.
I’m in the middle of a Lenten Run Streak where I’m running at least one mile per day, every day, through Easter (I might extend it after the holiday…we’ll see), and finding new routes isn’t always the easiest thing to do when working out of town.
Several of us in the cast are being housed in some newer condos on the west side of the city, which has just recently seen some development into the more “wild frontier” type lands that Florida has away from the coastal habitations.
So, Friday evening after a long day of rehearsal, I decided to venture out a bit from the confines of our beautiful if not slightly regrettable gated community to the main road and beyond. The main road is relatively quiet, especially at dusk, around 7:00ish. After a straight shot of a quarter mile or so, I came to a traffic light and took a left. This direction was sure to take me to some more interesting territory by the look of things.
After another mile, a second intersection presented me with another left onto a road which looked extremely interesting. I made the left, and within a few hundred yards, bid adieu to the confines of pavement for the much more pleasant dirt road.
It wasn’t very long before I saw a woman walking in my direction with her leashed canine companion heeling very nicely alongside. I had my earphones in, and was concentrating more on the Dave Matthews Band in my earbuds than what she was attempting to tell me.
“Waaa waaa waaa waaahh, ” she said, as she approached. I removed my headphones to hear her more clearly.
“Hi! I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“Watch out for the bobcats up ahead, ” she said rather casually, I thought.
“You mean, like a kids football team?” I answered, trying to amuse. I was sure she would chuckle. She didn’t. “Bobcats? Really?”
“Yeah, they come out around this time of night, around dusk. Also, not too long ago a raccoon got a guy.” Again with the casual.
“Did you say a raccoon got a guy?”
“Yeah. There was rabies and everything. It was terrible. That’s why I always walk with my dog. Have a great night!”
“Thanks. I will.” I stared for a second in the direction of my certain doom.
How would they break the news to Malisa? I thought to myself.
“Hello, Mrs. Langdon? Yes, we have some news. Your husband…Well, your husband had an encounter with one of our bobcats down here in Florida. Yeah, actually he was able to evade the feline, but in the end it was the raccoon that got him.”
I turned around, turned on the jets and waved politely to the woman and her dog as I left them in the dust.
I’ll stick to the pavement.
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