A Colorful World

If I ever stole decorative kale I'd get caught and have to go before the judge and say yes sir I was stealing purple and green kale from the grounds of the local office park. I'd explain that I'm sorry but he must know how delicious it is steamed and eaten with olive oil and salt. Better to feed a hungry artist than decorate a parking lot!

Last night we went to a jam and one of the guitar players was introduced as The Judge. He wore a black coat and tie, and had rosy cheeks and shiny shoes. It's true he really is a judge. He was enjoying a beer, had loosened his tie, whipped out his guitar, and rocked out! I imagined him deciding the fate of people's lives and then pictured him playing his electric guitar in the courtroom! I realized how close-knit this community is and I love it! If I ever got in trouble for stealing kale I hope he'd be my judge. Or is that against the rules?

There used to be a lifeguard at our local YMCA who was also a lawyer and a nun. One day she gave me a lift on her motor-scooter. My glamorous realtor friend plays competitive soccer a few nights a week. A few women friends of mine grew up taking apart and working on cars with their dads. A food writer friend of mine wades in hip boots to go fly fishing in the river whenever she gets a chance. A wacky unemployed smart guy I know is obsessed with keeping a collection of hundreds of orchids. A guy I met at a Christmas party is a criminal prosecutor by day and a Sunday bread baker. He loves to cultivate his own sourdough yeast from grape skins. I was at a jam recently and met a beautiful young woman sitting with her sax-playing boyfriend. We were chatting and I asked her about her work. It turns out she's a police-woman and she wants to play the sax too. I told her go for it! One day I was walking my dog in the cemetery and one of the local cops was parked there. We got chatting and he told me he dreamt of writing a book. Do it, I said. Listen to that voice and follow it. It makes for a very colorful world.