Let's Pretend We Don't Exist

One of the things that really bugs me about los angeles is this. Any time I would go running anywhere else in the world--well, realistically, I have only gone running in two other cities, but still in both of them, no matter what time of day it was or whatever else, when you came across another runner, especially if you were approaching each other from opposite directions, you always acknowledge the other person. i don't mean that you have to stop and have a half-hour conversation or anything, but a nod, a smile, a wave, a "Hey" . . . these courtesies were the norm, and they made the whole hardship of exercise a little easier, or at least a little more pleasant.

In Los Angeles, these things don't usually happen. Most of time, it's a big deal if the other person moves over so you don't have to run in traffic. Okay, perhaps I exaggerate a little bit, but there has been more than one occasion where I have had to run into the road because the people on the sidewalk would not move over or make room for me. To be fair, however, these people tend to be tourists. But seriously, most of the time I feel like I am invisible, and that is really strange to me. I mean, in Pennsylvania, no one ever told me, "when you run, be nice to the people going the other way"; it's just the way it was. People say "Hi," you say hi back. Or people nod, and you nod back or wave or whatever. But in LA, it's as if there is some unannounced competition or something, or maybe there was an announcement, and I just didn't get the memo. . .

I miss the friendly people.