It has been a while since I posted an Out And About. It was September 26, 2020, to be exact. I think I gave up on the series because the Corona Virus had everyone living in so much fear, that they were wearing masks even  while exercising, alone, driving in their cars, and outside. Just to be clear, I don’t believe masks help… not one bit. So you can guess my attitude toward people with masks on. I really don’t want to engage.

But alas, things are improving. People are actually going outside without masks. I saw two yesterday and took their pictures.

As I was sitting in the drive through at Rudy’s, I saw a cowboy walking across the parking lot. I had to act fast, grabbed my camera from the passenger seat, and just as he stepped up on the curb to go inside, I shouted: “Hey cowboy.”

He turned around and looked at me like Sam Elliott, wondering why I was yelling at him. I took his picture. And then I told him what I was doing and took a few more pictures.

He walked over to my car and I introduced myself. He said his name was Jonathan Chase and put out his hand. I shook it.

“What do you do Jonathan Chase?” (I try to repeat people’s names so I remember them and get them right.”

“I’m a bull rider.”

“You look like a bull rider.”

He smiled and said “thank you.” He took that as a compliment, and it was. My wife and I have a great respect for bull riders. They are breed set apart. He also told me he was a diesel mechanic up the road in Hillsboro. I told him I was a teacher, that led to another conversation all together.

It was at that moment that I think I realized the need for Out and About. I love the series and the concept because it forces me to speak to strangers and to get to know a little bit about them.  It was great meeting Jonathan. I think he enjoyed the encounter as well. Had I been a bit quicker on the uptake, I would have bought him a beer. I saw him inside a few minutes later and he was holding a Blue Moon. My respect for him went up even more. He likes real beer.

All photos are copyright © Timothy J. Hammons 2021.