I didn't get up terribly early today. In fact, I was off to a rather slow start. Caitlin came over last night and we had a slumber party because she had to work this morning, and it's much easier for them to commute from Anchorage than from Wasilla before 6 am, as Wasilla is about a 40-50 minute drive away. We stayed up late talking and swapping stories. I was so tired from my run that I didn't even wake up when her alarm went off and she got ready and left for work at ass o'clock this morning.
Once I did get up, my day got interesting. I did some laundry and a bit of phone contact, and eventually made it out onto the Chester Creek bike path, in search of a frisbee game promised by my co-workers on the bus home yesterday. I know this is a pretty common day-off activity for many of the train employees, and I figured it was worth scoping it out, saying hi to everyone and perhaps getting a bit of exercise.
The weather wasn't terribly auspicious for it. It tends to change many times a day here, so it was sunny and warmish this morning, a little over-cast in the early afternoon, and shortly after I arrived at the appointed Valley of the Moon park, it began drizzling and then raining a little harder.
I was a bit torn about staying or going. It turns out I am better at throwing and catching a frisbee than I remember being. I used to toss it around casually a bit in high school, but I haven't done it much since, and I know so many people who play a lot (especially my little brother) that it seems everyone must by now be out of my league, and it's probably better for me to stay out of it.
In fact, most people have played as much or less than I have, so I was passably comfortable out there on the field, with the ~10 young men who had also showed up for the game and accompanying barbecue and beer.
Even so, I had intentions of doing some of my day-off stuff, and once it started to rain, I decided to head out and make for the library, and its accompanying internet and shelter. I got to take a new route here, which made me happy because I get rather tired of going the same way once I've done it more than 2 or 3 times.
On my way here, I noticed a woman trying to hail me through the noise of my earbuds and the speedy winds passing my bicycle. So I pulled up to stop, and put my ipod on pause to see what she wanted. She asked me if downtown was "that way," gesturing. I said yes. She asked if I had $1.75 I could give her so she could take the bus there. I said, yes I think so, and started to look in my backpack. After a brief inspection, it appeared that I had left my wallet at home, so I told her, sorry, nevermind. I did, however, have a little packet of shortbread, one of my favorite emergency ration supplies, pilfered off the snack pile on the train one day, so I offered her that. She took it, and asked how far away downtown was. She said she was from Barrow, another town in Alaska, rather far from here I think, though I'm too lazy to look up exactly where it is. I told her downtown was a mile or two from where we were. So she started walking.
I was pleased by this interaction. Anchorage seems to be a good place to try out different theories of doing good and living generously. It's not like New York or Mumbai, where the requests for money are so frequent it is practically impossible to respond positively to all of them. It seems to me, I ought to give as much as I can afford. If someone makes a request of me that threatens my ability to feed or house myself, or otherwise threatens my sense of safety or well-being, I can quite reasonably and guiltlessly say no. In most other situations, when someone needs to ask me a question, or needs money for a bus, or something to eat, and I have some time or resources I can spare, I'd rather say yes than no.
Speaking of eating, it's probably about that time. Time to head home and catch some leftovers. It's still raining, but the library is closing soon. I imagine the frisbee folks have dispersed by now, unfortunately. I may swing by the park again just to see. Or I'll try to catch them for longer next time.
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