Saturday, August 07, 2010

Twenty Minute Attempt: Part Two of Two

I finished running from Copley to Boston University and then some. I was exhausted. I stretched. I was spent. So what did I decide to do? As I walked by the Boston University Campus it brought back so many childhood memories so I decided to take a walk like I used to when I was a kid.

I grabbed a Gatorade and woofed it down. I remembered...

Boston University. I used to go in there as a kid. In the basement was the game Bezerk. Stop the humanoids. Stop the intruder.

I always flew my bike around these parts. A lot was exactly the same. Some things were different. Commonwealth ave was my playground as a kid growing up in the hood.

The Jeep dealership was now extra parking for BU. The Ski Market was burned out or under reconstruction. The sign was the same as I remember. It will be open again in September. It surprised me that McDonalds was replaced by odd Mexican restaurant.

The trendy blight that takes over old neighborhoods was noticeable. The Starbucks. The fancy place. The custom bike shop. I turn down Pleasant street. I remember screaming down this little parking lot hill in my little shit brown Schwinn bike. Same color as Buddies Mustang.

Grandma's old apartment. Birdbrains place (My good friend Mark). Eggmont looks pretty good. Everything is painted. It looks pretty. Honda's and Audi's mix with shitbox junkers in the projects. I head down to my old house. I notice the back yard areas now have some sort of buildings. Is that a clubhouse or something? Not sure. I head towards my old house.

Old ass Spanish chick gives me a bad look. Better watch yourself you hoochie momma I will smack you back to Mehico. I know. I am going to hell. I do not even try anymore. I finally figure out what the structures are: more houses! Holy crap. It used to be a big circle of grass with small 3-run wooden fences. We played football and baseball and had all kinds of fun in the middle. Now they just planted a house there. Amazing.

The buildings do not look as tall as I remember. I head down towards Dexter. It is smaller too. A couple of Asians run past me faster than I can jog! I will get there though. Pass by the park I used to play in. It is the same as I remember. Down the hill. Hit the spot where I did a face plant. Oh yeah. Flying down a hill at top speed no fear hit the breaks... piece of shit bike only has one working break. Faceplant city. Broke my front tooth off right at the nerve. The nerve survived. Causing my a lot of pain. Waffles once and forever.

Up to Coolidge corner. The little general store is gone. The dry cleaner is still there though. The store I bought my magnetic robot monsters with all my paperboy money is gone replaced by some weird ass store. The general nick nack, little bit of everything, store is still there though. I head down the street.

I forgot. My preschool is on this street. It looks the same as it did when I was little. Past a newer memory. Getting drunk on Vodka in a Russian restaurant with the soon to be Ex. I sang Dankashein with the pretty Russian entertainer.

Finished up by the Puppet Theater. Got my favorite puppet there. I black critter with messy hair. Loved that thing. Puppet Show Place was awesome. I sit on the train and head back home. Pain and exhaustion settling in.

It was fun to wander like I did as a kid. I would walk everywhere. Grabbing change from parking meters and just thinking. As I got older I would wander on my bike. Picking a street and riding. Repeating this when I got my first cars. I always kept walking, driving, moving, looking, searching for something I have yet to find.

4 Comments:

Blogger Josie said...

Very nice.

6:46 AM

 
Blogger Mike G said...

Nice write up. I'm a runner and I would recommend you not increase mileage by more than 10% a week to avoid burnout. Also music has been shown to help people get in the zone and run 10 to 20% faster on average. Sign up for a fall 10k or two to have a goal that is achievable. On off days do a little swimming if possible it's an excellent way to rest your joints but still get a workout in. Keep up the good work your body will thank you for it. Tough road you're on so hard in the beginning but you can do it. I am running a marathon a month for the next 4 months but once I was in your shoes.

7:37 AM

 
Blogger Shelly said...

In my last 5K, I was pissed that a speed-walking woman was walking faster than I was running. I almost passed out trying to keep up with her. :P

8:23 AM

 
Blogger DrChako said...

Great flashback. I was a total video game junkie and put every dime of my allowance into the games at Dream Machine. My dad thought I was crazy and one day came along to see what all the fuss was about. He picked the first game he thought he could understand - Berzerk. He was hooked. I can still see him playing that game and I can hear the machine yelling INTRUDER ALERT!

-DrC

2:52 PM

 

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