Neighbourhood Navigation

This morning I awoke to the most incredible sensation of happiness. When I first opened my eyes I wasn’t sure what to feel besides sleepy, then a wave of bliss suddenly embraced my consciousness without prompting. I felt excited, but I knew not for what reason. Depending on my dreams, I sometimes wake up with driving emotions.
 
I opened my window to a perfect sky and a fresh golden sun illuminating irresistible clouds which sparsely streaked over my view of Chebucto park. I had two breakfasts, packed my things and began my journey on foot to write my Biology exam. I had forty minutes to arrive to school and cram a final preparation. The twenty minute walk is always a nice excuse to meander through the early rising neighbourhoods of suburbal Halifax. Cherry street, Walnut, Chestnut, Cedar, Poplar and Beech street, maybe a touch of Jubillee then Jennings and Preston street to finish. I passed young families in the midst of “getting-everybody-going” and let my eyes fully observe the character of each community. So many youthful spirits thrived in the fresh, warm spring morning. New cars parked by old houses and ancient trees. Parades of brightly coloured seven year old kids marched to school, clamped onto the hands of older siblings and playful mothers, were happily led across the simple neighbourhood intersections by laughing crossing guards.
 
Biology was the last thing on my mind as I focussed mostly on keeping to the sunnier of the two sidewalks. I kept a gentle pace and had Ben Ross’s Fabulous Band accompanying my stride.
 
“Hey, excuse me! HEEEEY!”
 
I turned and made my way towards a car, pulled over on the other side of the street.
 
“Which way is Shirley street?”
 
“Sorry?”, I took off my headphones and approached the unrolled window of this lonely woman’s beige Subaru.
 
“I’m trying to get to Shirley Street.”
 
I thought back to Billy Jo, he used to live on Shirley Street. I went there many a time last year, although I always needed directions myself. Keeping steadily in mind that my mental mapping capabilities were despicable, I thought out loud for a second.
 
“Oh! Shirley street! That’s an excellent street, let me just think here. You’ll wanna go down there, and make a…uhh…” It quickly dawned upon me that I didn’t know at all which way she would have to turn, and then where she would go after that; I only knew navigation by landmarks and the handlebars of a fast mountain bike, nothing looked familiar. I looked towards the corner and my bowl of confidence filled with doubt. I tried to imagine in my mind what would happen if I told her the wrong directions, I decided not to lie.
 
“Uhh…yeah, it’s around somewh- Y’know, I’m really not the right guy to ask.”, I said.
 
“Nope.”, she smiled an anxious grin of disappointment and drove off.
 
I picked up where I left off, but I felt like I let someone down. I used to bike through this neighbourhood all the time. The problem is that I always follow the slopes of the streets, not the names. My bike was taken by another person last week. I kinda wish I still had it, but I’ve accepted it’s transferral.
 
As I continued to walk to school, I began formulating a map in my head. I needed to figure out for myself where Shirley Street was. I made respect to things like the Bakery, the Sun, and the short-cut path through the public school playground… I had it all mapped out but I still wouldn’t be able to tell anyone how to get there. I felt a little hopeless, yet content. My lack of navigational capability has gradually become a treasured flaw that I am now comfortable admitting to anyone including myself.
 
While focussing so much on my navigational thoughts, I made a wrong turn on my walk to school. My legs were on autopilot, the wrong turn was followed by another wrong turn which set me back an extra fifteen minute walk. I became frustrated and thought about how funny it would be for a University student who’s been going through these neighbourhoods for three years to stop a car and chuckle.
 
“Sorry, I’m trying to get to Dalhousie University.”
 
The walk took me forty minutes, and I made it just in time by taking to a brisk sprint just as the drummer of Ben Ross’s Fabulous Band took to a driving washy ride beat 1 minute 18 seconds into a song called Over Again. I guess it felt kinda like a movie.
 
I would not dare see to tame a lion that’s right in front of me. Fine art; not tryin’. But the stronger my voice, the weaker my cannon. And the morning will come when I am still standin’. I reprise an island; some novel constellation. I’m lonesome for an age of navigation. The stronger your voice, the longer your shadow. So I will hide under humble vibrato. You said “This is no life for introspection”, you were raising your fist at the static station. Bow down on life, I just wanna feel it. I want a sky I can kick my feet in. I want a sky I can kick my feet in.
 
Age of Navigation – SS Cardiacs