I Don't Really Understand My Neighborhood

An exasperated man in his fifties approached me as I was doing yard work on Easter Sunday. "Did you see that? Did you SEE that?" he asked. "Well, I saw a police car do a U-turn, but didn't understand what was going on," I replied. "He stopped me for walking against the green light." The explanation sounded incomplete to me. I mean, who gets stopped for jaywalking on Easter? "Nice yard," he said, and as I started inquiring further: "Thanks, but why...," he cut me off, with "have a nice day," and walked away.

Strange Easter. An ambulance roared by. A helicopter did a U-turn. A small bird alighted on a fence and started chirping insistently, flicking its tail up and down, as if trying to convey some important message, before flying away in frustration with my incomprehension.

But at least my home phone works again. Apparently I was never switched over when AT&T took over operations last July. I knew that switchover was somehow to blame! But it makes me wonder why I was able to receive any calls at all until two months ago, when calls ceased entirely.

I don't really understand my neighborhood.