How long would it take to walk home?

I’m working a late shift for a couple weeks thanks to Events of National Irritance, and so far the biggest deal is that of getting home at night. Tonight I stayed at work until well after the trains stopped running. I thought — briefly, while walking to the ATM to get cash for a cab — about walking all the way home, which would be like almost eight miles.

I have sort of passively sought out bad neighborhoods to walk through, in the sort of passive hope that I’d get shot and all my problems would be solved. So as I was thinking about how long it would take me to walk eight miles and what parts of town those eight miles would take me through, I also thought about what I wouldn’t have to deal with (the next eight days of work, work in general, career shit in general-er, future life shit in general-est) if someone chose tonight to off some stupid pedestrian.

But there is a person now for whom I would like to keep on living, at least for a while. I’ve asked her to not get hit by any trees or big rocks or swinging bats, so I feel like it’s only fair that I try to preserve myself, too.

Down side: I’m probably still going to have to go to work next week.

August 28, 2008