Bike Ride On A Sunny Day

Pacific Bluff
Big Sur

In one of those lookout bluffs facing the Pacific at Big Sur was a man on his bike rigged with miniature luggage. He's obviously not your typical local out on a bike ride on a sunny day but a serious traveler. His name is Loek, a French guy from Strasbourg on his way to South America. He’s done Europe and Asia, and now the Americas, and then Africa, “Maybe.” he said, and all these trips by mere leg power! "I'm jealous." I said. As he pedaled away, he looked back and shouted “Life is a bike ride Jun!”

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Poison

Lombardi Ranch

Santa Clarita

We stopped by a shady tree with grape-like fruits. “It’s an olive tree where the olive oil comes from.” says Victor. “You can eat the ripe ones.” He said as a matter of fact. “Ah but these are greens....” I spied one purple globule plucked it and bit then spit! (This whole process took me only a second because of a biting bitterness in the mouth) “Sir that’s poisonous!” The farmer charged in my direction. I turned to Victor “I can’t believe you were trying to poison me man!” Stunned and guilt-stricken, Victor flushed red like an overripe tomato….
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Remus and Romulus

Los Angeles

California

Remus (6yo) was teaching his brother Romulus (4yo) street smarts while burying and digging miniature pirates and indians in a sandbox. “After drinking, why do chickens look up to the sky?” Remus asked. Romulus answered, “Because they ask god why they can’t pee!“ “Very well.” said Remus. “And why do piglets keep their heads low as they follow their mother?” Romulus answered in the deepest booming voice he can muster while gathering all his might to kick the one-eyed pirate -“Because they are ashamed their mother is a pig!”
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Sniff Sniff

Home Depot

La Crescenta

I was buying a broken sprinkler for the lawn and was already in line to pay for it when the clerk behind the counter said, “Brandon (customer assistant) please go to the plants section. There is a dead rat for you.” It sounded really funny but the clerk wasn’t joking nor was Brandon taking it in jest. “How can I find it?” He asked annoyed. She replied, “Use your nose.”

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Boxes & Lights

Foothill Blvd

La Crescenta

I raced for the Chevy truck when the lights turned red. Luckily at the time, there weren’t many cars to let me ease beside it on the right lane. “You dropped a box!” the window misted as my voice echoed inside the car. They felt my stare so they rolled down a window. I did too. They were obviously on the way to a storage facility nearby. I told them a box fell a couple of intersections behind. After the thank yous and pleasantries and where are you from, yadda yadda yadda the cars behind us honked! Green light’s on!


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Windy

Wind Farm
San Gorgonio Pass

In jest, I told Carla, “It’s good you have huge electric fans here otherwise, the heat will be unbearable.” For miles on end you see nothing but tall, white columns topped with oversized propellers all lined up in this endlessly rolling hills. They face different directions to catch wind wherever it blows. Some turning, some still. These are wind-powered turbines generating electricity for this town and beyond....
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Rattled

Willits, Mendocino County
Northern California

When we came, a patch of mountain was cleared to let sunshine in, in this dense woods. We moved heaps of tree trunks cut in one-meter logs to be used as steps in the terraced slopes. Matt was resting after being stung by yellow jackets nesting in the ground. I lifted a log to the wheelbarrow when I heard hissing. I looked down - a rattlesnake was aiming to strike at my face! Out of reflex, I dropped the log and jumped. It kind of jumped also before retreating. Apparently, man and snake were startled together....
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Headlights On!

I-210

Glendale

The road suddenly curved towards a dark tunnel. The contrast of sunlight at the end made me dizzy. I thought headlights-on all the time was a waste of energy, but I realized it’s not only a necessity but also a safety measure. One time, I almost hit a car dangerously parked halfway through the fastest lane - in the dark tunnel! In places (like Seoul, Korea) where a lot of roads pass through tunnels underneath mountains, headlights-on-all-the-time should be made mandatory regulation. Fact: some cars automatically turn-on headlights upon engine start, also when wipers are in auto mode.
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Suzie

Dollar Store
Foothill Blvd

Every time you’re at the counter, the counter boy or girl will (always) say. “Hi, how are you?" or "How's it goin?” The reply will (always) be, “I’m good, and you?” “I’m good.” The customer replies then look away. End of conversation. Boring! So, I used a different tack at a Dollar Store nearby: “Hi, how are you….” the counter girl said without looking. I replied, “Oh, hi Suzie.” She looked at me and asked, “Have we met before, how’d you know my name?” I said, “It’s at your pin. It say’s, Hi I’m Suzie….”
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Leaving

Los Angeles

I was intrigued by the Jews, except for Bible stories, not much is known about them in my country. Then I got curious about Armenia. “Armenians and Israelis have things in parallel.” Abimelik said. Armenia is the first country to make Christianity a state religion while Israel is the only Jewish state, both countries being surrounded by the Muslim and the Arab world. There has been Diasporas in both communities, one returning to an expanding homeland, the other scattering, leaving behind a shrinking territory. “Like wood eaten away by termites, my Armenia is getting smaller by the day.” Abimelik sighed….

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