Lately I have felt more like reading blogs than writing my own.

I love people watching. When Tracy and I went to TO last week we were in Chinatown and you know how you are stopped at the light to turn because there are like ten thousand people that have to cross the street. Well, I could have sat there all day. Just watching how fast some people walk, how determined their faces are. They are almost always alone and I wonder if they really need to get somewhere that quickly or are they just lonely and feel even lonelier in the middle of a crowd so they just want to get it over with.
When people are in groups of two or three they seem so much happier. They are talking and laughing, seem to care much less about their destination and they just enjoy the journey.
It is fun to watch people poring over vegetables on a roadside stand. Life and death decisions about bok choy. I like watching people trying to find a place, bobbing their head from the map in their hand to the building numbers like pigeons pecking at seeds. I like watching the slick, well dressed women who sweep along in their fancy boots, holding big leather handbags tight to their sides. What have they got in there? Nothing?

People are fascinating. I even confess to people watching at church. This started when I was a kid at communion time. We were supposed to solemnly return to our seats, then kneel and pray while the round dry wafer stuck to the roof of our mouths. You would then work it with your tongue to scrape it off bit by bit. And you were supposed to keep your head down and your eyes closed. But I never did. I kept my head down but my eyes would be all over the place, watching people walk up to the front, arms crossed in front of them. Watching the priest lean over with the communion for the little old ladies, saying, "Body of Christ", and you were to reply, "Amen". Seeing how long people would kneel for after they got back to their seats before settling back into the pew and people watching themselves.

Yesterday at church I found myself doing the same thing. Now, we don't kneel afterwards. In fact, we couldn't if we wanted to, because there is no padded kneeler bench to do it on. But I like how people walk up to the front of the church, so quiet and thoughtful. It makes all the million things we do in a week disappear for a little while. I like to see what crazy things the young kids are wearing. One young guy yesterday had this pink and orange hair and a couple of piercings on his face. I like the juxtaposition of him with the older lady following him, with her glasses chain and her navy blouse and skirt.

I like watching people in line at fast food places, looking up at the menu, scanning for something to hit the spot. I like watching the moms waiting for their kids at school, staring out at nothing. I wish they would turn to each other more often and say, "So, what's new?" It might knock the boredom off the shelf that they keep it on.

Well, it's time to get you know who ready for you know what. Have a good Monday everyoneday.

A.