I just had a frontierland experience that caused me to pause.

[Baitball Blogger]

On the edge of a shopping center in Oviedo there's a pedestrian trail that runs along the road. Because of its size some cars quickly cross the path to get to the road's edge where they have to stop anyway, before driving out of the shopping center. I think the appropriate courtesy is to give pedestrians the right of way.

Well, tonight I came up on the trail at the same time that a young black girl approached it on foot. I stopped and waved her on. She had a look of astonishment, followed by a friendly smile and a wave. I didn't think anything of it until she crossed the trail and looked back to wave again. And then I really was taken back when I got on the road and passed her and she turned to look at me again with a huge smile on her face. It was like she had never seen such kindness.

It made me wonder if the events that are occurring next door in Winter Springs are creating a backlash on the black community in this area. For anyone who wants to learn more you can follow the link I'll post at the end of the article. It involves an accusation of a gang rape that involved six black football players in Winter Springs, five of them who were probably bussed in to compensate for the city's racial imbalance. It's one of those situations that will continue to evolve as the issue goes through the court system so I have no comment in that matter.

However, it does make me wonder why, oh why, when so many of us have made it through the gauntlet, (at least corporeally) why we don't have a support network for the youngsters who are coming through behind us? There is so much we need to warn them about to help them stay on the path that will help them find success.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-torreano-batton-gang-rape-suspect-20141205-story.html

[procon]

1. Here in California pedestrians have the right of way

I just thought that was the law everywhere as its just common sense. No flesh and bone human being can withstand even a minor impact with a ton or more of steal without injury. Thanks for giving the poor kid a break. To think that she felt endangered and then relieved ; I can't even imagine living like that.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. My thoughts exactly.

[RebelOne]

8. When I lived in Los Angeles for a year

I was always amazed when drivers stopped when I was in the street. I thought they were just being courteous. But then I learned it is the law.

[csziggy]

3. Along several of the rural highways here there are recreational trails

Sometimes they parallel the roads, on one of the roads I take into town, the trail criss crosses it several times. For every single location a vehicular path crosses the recreational trail, there are warning signs indicating that pedestrians and bike & horseback riders have the right of way. But often the vehicle drivers don't pay any attention to whether or not there are other people on the road. And every time I give the legally required right of way the other people involved seem surprised and gratified.

We do need to be more generous to others, and to lead the way to the young people who will make the future. I don't know where the culture of greed and incivility we see today came from. Maybe it's a backlash to the communal generosity and excesses of the 60s and 70s - a time when we thought the future was going to be a wonderful place where everyone would get along.

[MineralMan]

4. Good for you!

It's such a shame that people are so surprised when others do what they are supposed to do.

[Baitball Blogger]

5. That's so true.

There's so much collusion that goes on in these insulated suburban communities that I think people are operating in a mode that I'll call civil division. They have very tight inner circles where agreements are made that intentionally interfere with the rights of neighbors who are not part of their groups. They'll show civility towards you as long as you do not call them out. But once they know they are made, the first thing that disappears are the common courtesies that are necessary for social interaction.

So I tend to remember the positive interactions I have had with strangers to remind me that there really are normal and good people still out there. That young girl's beaming smile will be one of them.

I have also had an ongoing conversation with a young man who works at a hardware store I frequent. He is always manning the cash register so there's always an opportunity to chat. Over the years I have seen an evolution of his reasoning as he went to college to improve his job opportunities. He went from wanting to convert to Islam because they appeared to have such an organized culture where everyone had a respectful place in society, to developing a Liberal eye that could separate fact from propaganda. It was an amazing personal journey. He didn't convert to Islam, but is now a vegetarian.

I discovered that he had gone to college in an offbeat way. We were having rainstorms one summer and I asked him if his section of the hardware store closed down whenever there was a threat of lightening because there was little overhead protection. He said that he wasn't afraid of lightening and that on rainy days when he had to attend classes he would put a dry set of clothes in a ziplock bag and strap it on when he rode his bike to school in the rain. He would arrive to school drenched, but would change into his dry clothes for classes.

Apparently his personal growth has now reached a conclusion that most intelligent young people in Florida eventually get to. I spoke to him this week and he said that there is nothing in Florida but houses. Such a true observation because construction seems to be this State's one trick pony. So he's now planning to go to Washington where he hopes to improve his options in the job market.

I fully supported his decision, but will be sorry to lose one of the few pleasant people that I encounter when I'm out on my errands.

[bemildred]

6. Not being an asshole is exceptional I guess. nt

[Baitball Blogger]

7. LOL!

So incredibly true.