lions and tigers and bears, oh my?

the day proved sunny yet again today so i set off on a new adventure.
there is this road a few blocks away that winds up into one of the mountains. i was excited to follow it to the end today. i packed some provisions (a scarf, mittens, first aid kit - no bouillon cubes, water, powerbar, and gummiebears) and set out.

the walk was nice.
though everything is rather brown and grey/gray right now.
the paved road turned to dirt.
oooo things should get good now, i thought.

there was this huge white display of excessive wealth hidden up the side of the mountain. i wondered who lived there because the house was so different from the other types in town.
and then the road ended.
private drive.
no trespassers.
drats.

i turned around and headed back down the road to home.
a little disappointed that the road was so uneventful. it didnt even curve.
one straight prairie-like road.
but things got interesting on the way home.
no, there were no lions.
there were no tigers.
there were no bears.
but there was a band of WILD TURKEYS!

turkeys are odd to watch.

i continued walking down the hill, distracted by thoughts of wild turkeys (do they attack?!) and avoiding breathing in the dust of passing vehicles, when i spied a man walking up the hill on the other side of the street. i stared at him a little. I couldnt tell if he was youngish or not. Or tallish or not (tall, married, incomprehensible?). Suddenly the man spoke.

Hello JV.

uh... hello.

how could he tell who i was from across the street? creepy. maybe i need better glasses. maybe all caucasians look the same to me.

it was Dr. L. He was coming back from a run. He asked if i was taking a break. Uh... yes? I'm standing in the middle of a road that goes nowhere in the middle of the day. From what am i taking a break? Did he think i was on a coffeebreak from the hospital? I'm not wearing scrubs. I'm in civilian garb. Why didnt i say i was catching some vitamin D?

I took a last look as he walked past and then i giggled all the way home. I know i shouldnt laugh at people, particularly their physical selves. But i just couldnt help it. It was a classic case of CHICKEN LEGS!
oh man oh man oh man!
Skinny, gangly, hairy, male chicken legs. In 80's style striped cut-off shorts! With bluish man socks. Why do socks look so funny on men when they wear shorts?

I know, i'm mean. Really, you dont need to tell me. But CHICKEN LEGS!!!!!!! Come on! Its so strange to see the chicken legs of a dresspant-wearing health care professional. I'm sure i'll get over it eventually.

Speaking of doctors, this is my beef with them. Well, its not really a beef but more of an awkward ambiguousness. What do i call them? If i'm approaching them at work with a question about a patient or calling them at home or the office, i'll call them Dr. So-and-So. But what about the in between times? If we're joking around or just passing in the hall or on the street, they all say "hello JV" but i never know what to do. Can i call them by their first name? They've never introduced themself by their first name. Or any other name. WHY DONT THEY TEACH US THESE THINGS IN SCHOOL?