Living Juicy

"I always thought you were pretty" out of a mouth with missing front teeth. The guy had climbed a tree for me two years ago to shake and throw down those remaining apples left up  high. Sumo, my little dog, running alongside my bike,  barked ferociously at him, while I smiled and waved in passing.

One Mexican painter with bike, from out of town,  a stranger to us, barely able to communicate in English, expressed a desire to paint me in my shocking pink scarf, colorful dress, white hair and camera slung over my shoulder. He said not in his more normal surrealistic style, but "realistic" (rolling the r which pleased my Swiss ears) and proceeded to inquire about my work.

Onward to hug a charming lady with a glorious big smile who recognized me from when I had passed her earlier on bike with Sumo. Recognizing her Texan twang, I challenged her on their hideous, most certainly uncivilized death penalty law. Turned out the lady had served on death row and was in full support of it! We parted with a hug, big smiles and a casual promise to engage in civil discourse given another opportunity.