The early morning wave.....

   Through rain or snow, sleet or hail. No, this is not going to be about the postal service, although there are several things that would make for an interesting column or two regarding the postal service and its ability to get packages to different locations around the country in a timely fashion. Those might be a topics for another week.

   The rain or snow and most of the time sun I am speaking about takes place on my early morning walk with Lucky. I am usually up by six each morning and after a quick cup of coffee, Lucky and I take our first of several walks of the day. It's not a long walk, just long enough for him to stake out his territory on either side of the road for the other dogs in the neighborhood who will take the similar walk. But today, this is not about Lucky, but about the early morning wave.

   I live in a small rural town in central Maine, a residential community. Many who live here work in nearby towns. Homes in the neighborhood are well maintained and lawns are neatly mowed. It is a nice, generally quiet neighborhood and at this early hour of the day, one might expect not a great deal of traffic traveling through the “hood”.  But...to the contrary. And not only are there cars, there are joggers, bikers and on the weekends, a number of early morning walkers.

   Lucky just turned 5 years old, so the morning walk has become pretty much a daily routine for the past few years now and through the snow and freezing rains of winter or the spring and summer showers there are very few days that we  are not out on the road as the sun comes up.

   The bikers and joggers, most wearing headphones or ear buds keep a steady pace as they pass. Some nod, other manage a subtle wave, some even say “good morning.” Over time, Lucky has come to recognize some of them and he ignores them now and continues to set the pace for our morning walk.

   Even the cars that travel through the neighborhood have become familiar to both Lucky and me. I think he recognizes the sounds and maybe the colors. Perhaps he can tell the difference between a Ford or a Subaru, but I doubt it. For me, however, I recognize folks behind the wheel by their morning wave or lack of one.

   Actually, it can be quite entertaining to watch people as they turn the corner. There are those who keep their eyes focused on the road, staring straight ahead, ignoring us as we patiently wait for them to pass. There are others on their cell phones, talking up a storm. 
   Others will acknowledge us with a slight signal of the index finger, either left or right hand. Some call this the Maine wave I think. (Perhaps the Maine legislature can pass a bill naming the finger wave as the 'official state wave'.)

    There are others who often give a thumbs up, perhaps a commentary on my fleece pajama bottoms with the Red Sox logo. No, I am not going to shower and dress at this hour to take Lucky for a walk.. Besides, if they can be worn while shopping in at the local grocery store.....now there's a sight  :)

   Then there are those who wave each and every time I see them, whether it be first thing in the morning or later in the day as they may be on their way home. And to be honest, these are the folks who I look forward to seeing each day. It means that maybe, just maybe, all is right with the world, at least for today.
   As silly as it sounds, that early morning wave can set the tone for the entire day, for me and maybe for them, no matter if it's sunny and warm or there is a fresh three inches of snow on the roadway. (Now, I am sure it may be the Red Sox fleece pajama bottoms that sets the tone for some folks for the day. I mean, come on. But at least I don't wear them in public, like at Walmart.)

   One of the things I have noticed recently is an increase in the traffic in the early morning hours. Birchwood Terrace can be a short cut for many for getting from one side of town to the other and with all the pending and current road construction work, people may be looking for an easy way to get around the congestion. This particular morning seemed to be extra busy with new cars and trucks. Even Lucky noticed. He didn't like that black pickup truck at all! 

   So, to the new travelers through the neighborhood at six in the morning, welcome. Keep it under 30 mph and by all means, don't forget to wave.