after watching those boys on the bridge smacking a fellow just walking to the lake, in the presence of a news crew and on camera, i walked differently in that direction, and on the bridge i thought about the rocks i have been seeing placed on the bridge, i keep throwing them down to the ground, thinking someone is going to throw them down on cars or hit someone. when you see casual violence you imagine it happening anytime anywhere. and i thought of what i would do if someone came at me with my old dog mister. he would go straight up to the most evil thug offering love. they would consider it a threat i imagine and hurt him. i thought of my friend who carries her husband's old nightstick, for balance she says, but she would use it no doubt to repel an attack, and she looks tough wielding it. so i thought, maybe i'll carry a stick, and on the return loop i picked one up. i felt awkward, i didn't know how to carry it casually, it felt like a threat, i played with it like a baton, but when i saw a girl coming up the bridge i thought, how do i convey that i'm benign, carrying a stick, that it's protection, or a toy. i smile and say it's a beautiful day. i put it down on the other side, and mister chewed on it.