No. 204: Morning Pants-exposed Cycling

“My morning walk is an important daily ritual for exchanging ‘good mornings’ with people I pass.” My name is Megumi. I start walking down the quiet streets of my residential neighborhood at a time. It’s a morning when the air is crisp and cold, and my breath appears faintly white. A runner comes toward me from the other direction. Our eyes meet, and we exchange a slight nod. When I say, “Good morning,” the other person’s lips curve into a slight smile. Just that simple exchange makes me feel like it’s going to gently wrap my whole day in warmth. A garbage truck drives by. A cyclist heading to work early passes by. I’m not looking for anyone in particular, but I find myself secretly looking forward to these “morning encounters.” I’ve been taking this daily walk for years now, and the people I pass each morning change little by little. It feels like a small shift of the seasons.