There was a time that when I walked I listened to investment podcasts on my MP3 player, but no longer do I do that.
I’ve given myself over to enjoying the strolls without attempting to multi-task. Alas, I’ve found that the brain cannot be put into neutral.
And so as I walk, I observe the absurdities of life.
Just today, I came across a one-block section of nearby Queen Street shut down by “Road Closed” signs and a scattering of orange cones so that a replacement electric pole could be installed.
To accomplish this relatively mundane task required a small army – albeit much smaller than the number of FBI raiders it took to serve a search warrant on Donald Trump.
Let us count. There were two “guards” standing at each end of the block should some idiot be unable to read or observe the cones, not to mention multiple large vehicles parked on the street, and attempt to venture onto Queen.
I’m presuming they were not Penelec employees, but the independent contractors who make quite the living in construction-infested Johnstown these days.
But the rest ostensibly were Penelec employees, being well-compensated by definition, and perhaps even more so on this Saturday (weekend) shift.
I saw two men working, manipulating what looked like a large manual post-hole digger.
But that wasn’t all on hand. There was a knot of three men standing idly by one bucket truck. There were three more standing in a pack chatting.
The second trio was close enough that its members could have heard the heavy breathing of the two people working. The idlers’ only risk of heavy breathing would have been had they been viewing porn on their cell phones.
This is no exception, Pass any road construction site and do a quick count to determine those actually working and those merely observing the few who actually are doing something.
I was bemused by the Penelec manpower situation, but it was not the only absurdity witnessed on a walk of 2.5 miles or so, lasting about 45 minutes.
For a change of pace, I ventured toward a wooded area. Just before I reached the trail entrance, I came upon a man and a woman and a pack of dogs. Two of those dogs were on leashes, although the man had to strain mightily to keep them from banging into me.
The third dog, Dexter as I recall them calling out, ran loose. Now, here’s the bitter irony. The people’s puke green Kia Soul was parked with its windshield facing a sign commanding people to keep pets on leashes at all times in that area.
I have found that such scofflaws, aware of their infraction, attempt to mask it all with small talk. The guy muttered some greeting to me, for example.
I resisted the urge to ask if Dexter was a son, daughter, brother, sister, father or mother? He couldn’t have been a pet since he wasn’t on a leash.
But in the interest of avoiding further irritation, I just ignored the guy and continued on my walk, saying silent thanks that I hadn’t encountered them on the trail, when likely all three dogs would have been running loose and I would not have been able to avoid comment.
I can’t be sure, but I’d be willing to make a small wager that the dog walkers vote Democrat. Same with the Queen Street gang.
Lightly productive workers and self-indulgent morons are everywhere, and they like their freedom from responsibility. That’s why I’m not optimistic about coming mid-term elections, or the future course of this country.
Sam Ross Jr's site 