Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Old Pink Lady & Gloved Jogger Today Turned Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake Into Texas Twin Peaks

Walking around Fosdic Lake at Oakland Lake Park, today, had a bit of a Texas Twin Peaks feel.

When I left air-conditioned comfort, before noon, the sun was already heating Sunday to a HOT 97.4 with the Real Feel Heat Index feeling like 101.

The First Texas Twin Peaks thing was what I saw upon arrival at Oakland Lake Park's east parking lot. An elderly lady, dressed mostly in pink, was standing under the sparse shade of a small tree by the tennis courts.

The Old Lady in Pink was using a very crooked cane to support herself.

Walking across Fosdic Dam a guy who appeared to be a very overweight middle-aged man of Asian descent was being pulled by 4 yapping Chihuahuas on very long leashes. I said howdy to the dogs and the guy as I passed. The guy said something back to me in some Asian language. Maybe Chinese. Maybe Thai. Maybe Korean.

A short time after howdying the Chihuahuas, the most Texas Twin Peak thing of the walk rapidly ran toward me. That's right, you read correctly, a man was out jogging in the 101 degree HEAT. An elderly man with a very very well-worn face, wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirt, a headband, hat. And gloves.

Yes. Gloves. 101 degrees HOT and this guy was jogging while wearing gloves.

After the Gloved Jogger passed me, I got to the west side of Fosdic Dam and took several pictures of him, using the zoom. One of those pictures is at the top.

I then continued with my walk around Fosdic Lake. When I got back to the west side of the lake I saw the Gloved Jogger jogging once more across Fosdic Dam. I knew our paths would again intersect, so I prepared to shoot.

I was not prepared for what happened next. I snapped several pictures as the Gloved Jogger ran towards me. And then he stopped jogging, took a left and said something. He was some distance from me, so I was fairly certain he was not addressing me.

The person the Gloved Jogger was addressing was the Old Lady in Pink. The Gloved Jogger walked up to the Old Lady in Pink and took her hand, holding hands as they walked to their car. Apparently they are a couple.

She had stood there under the slight shade of that slight tree while the Gloved Jogger ran at least two times around Fosdic Lake. In 101 degree HEAT.

I was down at lake level, the parking lot is on a bluff above the lake. I watched the slow process of the Old Lady in Pink helping the Gloved Jogger remove most of his outerwear. This is how I learned he had a headband on under the hat. And a t-shirt under the long sleeved shirt. He did not take his pants off, so I don't know if he was wearing long underwear under them.

Prior to the Gloved Jogger, meeting up with the Old Lady in Pink, another jogger Texas Twin Peaked me. This guy had a very odd jogging style. With very skinny legs covered with tattoos. By his grizzled leathery face he appeared to be old. But I don't think he was. He had a youngish spiked haircut, dyed blond. And really creepy piercings all over his face.

And then there were the Fosdic Lake Ducks today.

I don't think the ducks like the HEAT.

Usually the birds that live on Fosdic Lake are skittish. But not today. Ducks floated in the shade of shoreline trees. And did not care that I was getting close to them.

I would have thought the Fosdic Lake Turtles would have been out and about, loving the HEAT. But I saw no turtles today. That is unusual.

According to my weather station, we have gone over 100 today. I don't know if it has gone over 100 at the official measuring station. I suspect it has, thus making this Day 30 in a Row of 100 or HOTTER in North Texas. Which would make this now the 2nd longest HOT streak in North Texas history. Twelve more days of 100 or more and we either tie or break the all time record of 42 HOT days in a row, set in 1980.

2 comments:

  1. Yes, the gloved hands do look odd. You aren't old enough, yet- but treatment for skin cancer (basal or squamous) or post- forever treatment requires covering up the affected areas. Hence, his long sleeved shirt too. Men, particularly seem to get these conditions on the hands, forearms, balding heads and chests.
    He probably used to do exactly what you are doing now, outdoors, with no protection.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think what anon is really saying is that he/she is offended by your lack of clothing while you're out and about in public.

    ReplyDelete