It’s official. I know everyone in Philadelphia
Sitting at the stoplight at Midvale Ave., waiting to turn left onto Kelly Drive, I noticed a car was trying to cross over Midvale from the gas station parking lot to the right turn lane. I made some space and the grey Honda Civic scooted through. Only after it passed did I realize that it was Karin, a woman I know from the Unitarian Church (she also happens to be my friend Georgia’s mother).
From there I headed to Whole Foods. Getting out of my car in the parking lot, I looked to my right and realized that my friend Tim was sitting at one of the picnic benches that are situated along the perimeter of the lot. I had run into him last week at Trader Joe’s, and so instead of even offering a greeting, I threw up my hands in mock-exasperation and said, “Tim, I’m beginning to think you’re stalking me.” He was on his cell phone but mouthed the words, “It’s because I love you!”
Heading towards the entrance to Whole Foods, I ran into Julie, who had been a student in the MPH Program at Penn during the time that I worked there. We stood around for ten minutes catching up, before she needed to get going. Walking through the door, I bumped into a woman with whom I had been in a book club (I continue to completely blank on her name).
I did my shopping quickly and without spotting anyone else I knew (although a baby did flirt with me behind his dad’s back while I was checking out). But walking back to my car I ran into another woman I once worked with, two jobs ago.
It made me feel like I was living in a very small town, as opposed to the 6th largest city in the country. Which, I suppose, is actually a very lovely thing.
June 7th, 2007 08:15
Isn’t it great to discover that you’ve got a neighbourhood right in the middle of the city? It really makes you never want to leave.
June 7th, 2007 09:45
Being a celebrity will do that to you.
June 7th, 2007 14:36
Sadie, it is nice to feel so at home in such a large place. I love knowing so many of the people who live and work around me.
Colin, I think the term “celebrity” might be a bit of an overstatement.
June 7th, 2007 17:43
It’s official — you’ve put down roots.
June 7th, 2007 19:42
That’s just awesome!
Philly is kind of like that. I’ve been here for only just over a year and bump into people I know WAY more frequently than I ever did in the town of 26000 that I grew up in. Very strange… Very nice!
June 11th, 2007 22:53
That’s what I love about Philly - it’s big enough for you to walk the streets in solitude but small enough for you to bump into friends and random acquaintances.