Crazies in Salt Lake

Many of you know that I tend to attract crazy people. I think my first recognition of this fact was when I was 17 and on an art history trip to San Francisco. We were walking up by little Italy one evening and a man approached our group. He started taking swings at me with his stick. Little did I know then that this was only the beginning of my interactions with crazy people.

This past week I had 2 interactions.

1. I was riding TRAX to work. In my attempt to ward off some crazies, I always have my earphones in, even if I'm not listening to music. Well, this morning, I was in fact listening to music. But, a word to all you who don't run into crazies that often ... real crazy people are not deterred by an iPod. A woman got on the train and sat next to me. I know exactly who she is. I've seen her many times, and I've even read the plastic-covered paper she shows everyone on every train she's on. It is some psychology paragraph that she apparently had published. She is a harmless crazy though, so I'm never bothered by her. I do enjoy watching people interact with her and respond to her though, especially since I've heard her story before.

I had taken my iPod touch out to change the music, which gave her the perfect opportunity to cut in. Here is our dialogue.

"Can you get American Idol on there?" she asks.

"No. Well, only if I download the music."

"Oh, that's just for music? I sure do love American Idol. What do you think of it?"

People are starting to pay attention. They want to know what I am going to say.

"I haven't been following it this year."

"Oh, really. I just love the musicians. They are so great this year."

"That's great."

Why hasn't she asked me to read her new sheet of paper? It looks like she has a new one.

"I always watch it. I just have hope for those kids," she says.

"Yeah it is great for them. Well, here is my stop. Have a nice day."

That wasn't too crazy. I just had a normal conversation with the crazy woman. Does that mean I'm crazy or that she indeed has moments of clarity? I may have a renewed hope in the crazies of this city.

Scratch that thought.

2. Tuesday night I was making a left turn onto North Temple. There was an older man walking across the street, carrying a large backpack and a half gallon of milk. There are cars coming and he is walking slow, so I inch out into the intersection and wait. As he gets half way across, he stops and looks at me. He proceeds to flip me off and motion for me to turn. He stands there finger raised, ranting about something--I don't roll my window down to hear him. I motion to him to cross and then point to the oncoming cars. He continues to rant and hold his finger up to me. He finally notices a car ahead turning right in front of him ... this distracts him enough to move toward that car with his finger pointing at the driver. My path clears up, but I'm not so sure he won't step back out in front of me. I proceed with caution, but I realize he is now engrossed in cussing out and flipping off some other driver. I finally turn. Wow. That is all I have to say--wow.

I'm sure there will be plenty more of these stories ...