Traveling Carts

“Out here there is no race. There is no colour. There is no religion. Out here, there is just wheels and metal.” I felt like they had accepted me, welcomed me into their gang. Without wheels, and without metal I belonged.

“ (...) And then, there were crosswalks...not crossrolls...walks...sometimes I wonder if they are trying to tell me something?”

“Come on in!” She said. “Don’t be shy.” She insisted. “Nothing bad can happen..or atleast not that bad..” She laughed through her grill...

Looking at them, I am thankful for their ongoing service. ‘Cause lets face it. If it weren’t for them, you would have to carry your own snotty offspring around grocery stores and the like. And that...that is not fun. 

From the look on his face, I knew that the cart he was working on was not the only thing that was “souped up”...

“It’s all about safety. Orange tape is the best for working outside, but you can use red if you want..” 

Sometimes it’s best not to ask what they are on, and just enjoy the camraderie. “Ya see, we are friends. Some I just met. Like Jim over here...” “I just came ‘round two weeks ago.” “But when you got to spend a night outside, you make friends. And quick.”

She is no longer able to do what she used to. But, as I have noticed, carts are resiliant. “ I now protect the flora from unwanted pests.” I can’t wait to see what she grows.

“I dress to match my resting spot.” 

“Just practicing.” He said with a frown. (though he was upside down, so it must have been a smile) “I am trying to beat the world record for most time spent upside down.” “ And you can do it!” His coach looked like he had spent a whole lot of time on his head as well....

They were giggling in their retro clothing, high heeled shoes and red lipstick. They looked new to the town, maybe even to this era. As though, somewhere in the distant parking lot, they had just walked off a time machine.

“I used to dance like that as a kid. Brings back memories when my wheels weren’t so rusty...” At 82, he still had some good moves...

“I paid big bucks for this chrome job, but it’s the accessories that count. Make it look good. Make it look HOT.” I didn’t know, until that point, that Tim Horton’s coffee could be seen as an accessoroy...yay Canada.

“They won’t let me in. They say I don’t belong. So what! I am red. You guys are just....envious! Assholes.” He walked away. I could hear him squeeking for a while...

In the distance his daughter stood waiting for him to come home. “I fixed it at work. I am a small engine repair mechanic. You do what you can to make them happy.” 

They told me they were just holding hands. I knew they were lying...”What? No! Really, we were just holding hands” I informed them that without hands to hold what they were doing was illegal in public.