This scenario happened when Covid 19 became a thing. It was still Coronavirus then, at the end of March 2020, and I was scared of it. I still am. So are a lot of other people. 

I live in an area where luckily I’m the only house on this block. So when a car, truck, pedestrian, or bicyclist, as in this case, went by, I noticed. And I did notice the man, who I would have said was elderly if not for the fact that now, just days after my 60th birthday, I am considered elderly. He probably had 20 years on me, so elder elderly. I saw him ride his bicycle by my house at least 2 to 3 times a week. It was the morning hours, and I wake up give or take 60 minutes around 7 am. I also have my lovely 3 dogs who go out first thing. And my board-and-trains when I have them. Though I didn’t have any then.

I never got the chance to wave at this elder elderly man. He would peddle his bike down my street. I’d peek at him sideways and he looked like a happy and healthy exerciser. But this one day was different. I had taken the dogs inside after their morning outing, and went back to pick a couple of hibiscus flowers that had bloomed on my plants. Instead of watching this man bicycle past, I saw a gray-haired man heaving, head down, off his bike, walking forward. He never turned to look at me, and I was fearful. Did he have the Coronavirus? Or something else? He’d surely say *something* to me if he needed help. He said nothing. 

Time went in slow motion. Such a cliche, I know. But out of the side of my eye I watched him walk that bike down the street. Every other time I’d seen him ride by, but not this time. He was laboring to get to wherever he was going. And as he cleared my vision, I knew he wouldn’t be interrupted to get to his goal.

I’d gone inside, did my morning routine, and mentioned the elderly elder man on the bike to my friend who lived clear across the country. No comment back from her, so I let it drop. Until today. It’s been almost 3 months since that day and I haven’t seen that man. It’s not as if we neighboring folks can yell “Hey! I notice you!” as other people are going about their business in the day-to-day. Unless we want to be considered *unusual.* But frankly, I have to admit, I am unusual. My last employer, almost a decade ago, called me eccentric. Or something like that. Frankly, I knew he was cutting me down, but I took it as a compliment. It’s funny the things we remember that took place in a mere moment.

Back to the man on the bicycle. I didn’t want to scare my neighbor who rode by my house daily. Especially one who outranked me in age. Had he looked my way or even asked for help, I would have been on it in a flash. But nothing never happened like that. Actually, nothing ever happened at all. Suddenly, it’s 3 months later and I realize he’s been absent from my peripheral vision all this time. 
What to do? Shed a tear? Maybe. Light a candle in his honor. Sure. I mean if he’s alive and kicking (I hope) or in the afterlife and kicking (possible) a candle in his honor would be a good thing. 

But speaking of things, I just want you to know elder elderly neighbor that I did notice you. And I also noticed your absence. And this has nothing to do with dogs, which is remarkable because my whole life and all my blogs revolve around dogs. I guess you could have taken a moment to look up and wave, but you didn’t. And that is OK. Your life. Your choice. But I want you to know, I did notice you. And wherever you are, you gray-haired old man, I wish you well.