One of the Warmest Nights of the Year

One of the warmest nights of the year, and the air redolent with forest fire smoke. Time to walk Bella!

Straight up, there was very little traffic, so some Seriously Scary Dudes took advantage and idled menacingly in their muscle car in the middle of what's usually a busy street. When Bella and I approached, they avoided our stares by creeping just a bit farther down the street and idled some more. There was a homeless guy propped up against a wall, and I wondered at first if he was their target. Then the Dudes rolled further, and headed towards my house. I started returning home, but they returned and idled some more. So, Bella and I sat down next to the cemetery fence to watch, counting on dark clothing (permanent in Bella's case) and the ubiquity of homeless folks as camouflage. Bella was like: "What kind of walk is this?" Eventually the Dudes left.

Almost immediately, a woman drove up asking directions to the neighborhood of Mack and Stockton. How did she end up here? That intersection is miles away! I gave her directions, and thought it strange she was multitasking by holding a cell phone to her ear the entire time. Put that phone down! Time to focus!

Seems more and more like Calcutta every day on Sacramento streets. Must be getting to the desperate days at the end of the month. Wheelchair Guy was pitched face down, asleep in the middle of the sidewalk, but in a slightly-different neighborhood than usual. Two women were squatting in a parking lot under the freeway, rummaging through trash. I pleasantly waved to them and said hello; they waved and said hello back.

Suddenly, at S & 17th Streets, Bella stopped and squinted into the darkness. Sure enough, in single file just in front of us, three raccoons were crossing through a fence. Bella excitedly started barking and bucking on her leash. The raccoons stopped uncertainly before moving on. Got to avoid tangling with a Black Lab!