Things that go for walks in the night.

I will never ever join a gym.  Ever.  My form of exercise has always been going for walks.  It helped me years ago drop from 305 pounds and a 52 waist down to 180.  Now that my weight has ballooned back up, I have decided to get walking again.

I'm not a fan of walking during the day.  I'm a night owl by nature and sunburn passing a window... so I generally get the urge to wander about after dark.  This is ironic since I was afraid of the dark as a kid.  Now, it's common for me to be strolling around my neighborhood at 10 or 11pm.

Tonight, I ventured out into the cold night air around 10... I love winter walks provided the ice isn't bad.  I do so much better in the colder temps, and can walk longer.  The only problem I seem to have is that my back (I have lower back problems) tenses up more in the winter temperatures.. causing me to rely on my walking stick a bit more than I do in the warmer months.

I got a few blocks from my house.. lost in thought.. minding my own business, when I see a strange black figure walking towards me on the opposite side of the street... carrying a lantern of sorts... and a walking a little dog.  It scared the hell out of me..  at first, it looked like the Grim Reaper was taking Toto for a walk!  Gripping my walking stick tighter.. ready to beat the be-jebus out "death" should "it" decide to cross the street.. I kept staring at this thing walking parallel to me.

As I got closer... from my side of the street mind you... I noticed it was a person (a woman from the sound of the voice talking to the dog), wearing the most bizarre long coat I have ever seen.  Even the cuffs of the sleeves hung down in a flowing manner.. just like you'd expect to see on a Grim Reaper costume... it even looked like the coat had a hood!  The "lantern" it looked like she was holding turned out to be an LED head-band flashlight that hikers use so they can free their hands for climbing.  What an odd outfit to be wearing to walk one's dog!  And here I thought wearing pajama pants and slippers to go shopping was messed up.

I live in a rather quiet and safe suburb north of Buffalo... had I been in the city proper I would not have been all that surprised...but not in my area.  Here, the only thing I generally come across are people in those annoying matching velour track suits... with the matching headband of course.  But death?  Nope.. never expected to run into him... err... her out for a stroll.