So the Wind Blows

This is Steven Petrick posting.

I wear hats. I am somewhat uncomfortable when I am outdoors if I am not wearing a hat as part of my ensemble (swimming does not require a hat, of course, but normally if I am outdoors I will be sporting a hat).

Today the wind was gusting at 50 miles an hour, and a gust hit just as I exited the door of my car at the office. My reflexes have slowed over time, and I was unable to grab it before it lofted off down the road.

I could only watch it spinning wildly down and across 10th street, and think sadly that when I was a younger man I would probably have been able to dash after and recover it in short order. Now I was just watching the wind blow it further and further away in the hope that it would hit some obstacle that would stop it until I could reach it.

Jean (who had ridden to the office in my car this morning) suggested I drive after it. And, yes, I considered that, but it was not something I was going to do unless there appeared a chance of recovery. Her proposing it, however, distracted me for  a moment and I lost visual contact with the hat. Despite the loss of visual, I decided that perhaps that meant the hat was no longer in motion and had in fact become hung up on something. So after seeing Jean into the office I returned to my car and drove down the block, and sure enough the hat appeared to be caught in some grass.

I pulled over and got out of the car, only to have the hat at that moment blow free, and despite the fact that it went right between my legs, again my reflexes were too slow to catch it.

Rotating on its brim, I thought sure at that point it would just keep going, but a break in the wind caused it to drop open end down on the grass again, and I managed to reach it before the wind picked up yet again.

So the hat is recovered after about a quarter mile blow.