The Blue and the Blue

I'm a weird magnet.  I've been that way for as far back as I can remember.  The last 2 days were an interesting contrast.  I've taken to doing working lunches at places that have cheap food and free wifi.  It is a different setting from which to work and study.  

Yesterday was election day.  The Pancake House was packed with college kids who had the day off because it was election day.  They were all quite individual.  They dressed completely differently, but somehow managed to all be wearing virtually the same combination of sweat pants or PJ bottoms, tight t-shirt with a flannel shirt over the top with the sleeves rolled up.  Most had baseball caps of some kind over their not-naturally colored hair and bed-head style.  The ones that didn't were doing so to show off the part of their head that had been shaved.  Interestingly the sound-track was made up of a bunch of music that the kids parents probably would have liked but that they hated.  

Today I lunched at the local deli.  Much of the hair color came from a bottle, rather than mother nature, but the age group was quite different.  Blue, red and purple were the main color groupings.  There was one lady with pink hair.  It looked awesome.  The uniform was also remarkably uniform.  The music soundtrack was almost completely made up of songs that their children would have LOVED, but they hated.  

Yesterday some of the kids geeked-out on my cross bike… laughing at some of the stickers and generally liking it.  

Today the topic of discussion was my cargo bike. One gentleman walked up and sat down at my table as I chowed down on my burger and asked me to explain my bike.  His 2-pack-a-day voice could barely be heard over A-Ha's "Take on Me".  We talked about the bike for a few… I explained that I was going shopping, but I don't drive, so this bike lets me carry stuff.  He thanked me and got up and went back to his table. 

This opened the flood gates.  Representatives from 8 or 9 of the other tables started filing over to ask about the bike.  We talked, laughed and generally had a good lunch.  I got no work done.  Eventually I got invited to go for a frozen yogurt date 4-doors down at the local God-Fearin' Yogurt place.  Once we all had our yogurt, the conversation about the bike, cycling and what exactly I do continued.  

Eventually I had to say my goodbyes and head for the grocery store.  Two came with me to do a little shopping and watch what it looked like when I loaded groceries on the back of the bike.  I was invited to the Italian Inn tomorrow for lunch.  

I likely won't see the college kids until next election day.  I'll report back on that.