I can tell that activity is picking up on the streets of Portland. People are coming out of their shells and starting to get in my way. It’s been so peaceful these past few months for pedestrians, with work-from-home policies and self isolation keeping the masses inside. There are no cars on the streets, while only the homeless and runners like me are out and about. However, there is a strange phenomenon of attraction at play! Even if there’s only two people left in the world, they’d both be headed for the same place! It never seems to both amaze and frustrate me that on days when there’s no one else in sight, someone magically appears around the corner and nearly runs into me. I’m trying to keep my 6′ distance, and yet without warning an intruder pops out of a random doorway without another sole within miles. It’s like a staged video game!

From my perspective this morning, it seemed like the only car on the road happened to be passing where I wanted to cross the street. Then, the solitary bike rider disrupted my seemingly clear path. It was like I was magnetically attracting the only other human beings on the sidewalks, alleyways, and roads. My next turn was into you, despite not seeing anyone else for blocks. I do not want to wear a mask while running and go out of my way to stay away, but there you are suddenly in my face! There is a force bringing us together when we need to keep our distance. 

At all other times of the day when out of the house, I responsibly wear a mask. However, I have too much trouble breathing when I run. Then, you show up! A homeless man won’t leave his tent all night, but as soon as I approach he decides to slowly stroll in front of me. I move into the street to politely avoid a passer-by and there you are, sitting in the car with the window down. I switch to the empty sidewalk to distance myself from others and nearly crash into a man coming around the corner carrying a box of books. No one else is anywhere in sight! It was one thing after another this morning, as I dodged the constant presence of obstacles on the otherwise lonely streets of Portland. Please get out my way!