Creatures of habit

I'm talking about homo sapiens, menschen, esseri umani, humanos, 인간, human freakin' beings .  And not just myself - all of us.  Example:

I just realized it better than ever as I walked Nathan down the block.  I saw the same two guys the past three times I've walked Nathan.  Standing outside the same door and smoking the same cigarettes..  Now call it coincidence, call it what you will, but this wasn't over a span of several days, it's been  only two days, and I've seen these two guys like clockwork.  Maybe outside of that door is their "happy place" or "safe zone" to smoke their cancer sticks - only they know. 

I tend to stray on side of caution, walking on the other side of the street - not because I'm afraid of them, as a matter of fact, I'd probably kick the crap out of one or both of them, at once.  I just don't want them ashing on Nathan's head.  They wear thick eyeglasses, and the one time I walked on their side, they damn near stepped on his paw.  (His thick glasses have nothing to do with anything whatsoever)

I don't think humans are strictly lazy, which directly leads to them performing the same tasks in the same spots at the same times.  I'm not really sure what causes us to do what we do, but we do.  And sometimes it's creepy. 

When I was in college back in 1999-2003, there was a local we called "The Denim Creeper."  He had the illest Canadian tuxedo I've seen to date, and he had one walking path - up and down Waldo Ave.  Top of the hill to the bottom, and right back up.  It was unreal, almost surreal.  At any given point during the day, poof, there he was - patrolling the sidewalks of Waldo.  Then there was "Window Tom," who hung out in his window all day long, greeting passers-by.  He had this giant powder blue car, comparable to a 20' Sea Ray.  With alternate side of the street parking a law here in NYC, he had to move it, but I'll be damned if he didn't get the same two spots on either side of the street every freaking time.  Those two guys are prime examples of creatures of habit.  I can also recall a guy who used to wear a NY Mets hat and ate lunch at Burger King practically every day - but again, I'm guilty because I saw him every day.

Reflecting on my years spent here in the bastard borough of the Bronx, and as weird as some encounters and individuals may be, I've learned.  I've learned from the strangest of people.  I've seen some of the strangest people.  And I've met some of the most unique people.  Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to get the hell out of the Bronx and have some normal neighbors to invite over, BBQ with, shoot the shit with.  But you take your situation with a grain of salt - what can you do but try to make the best of whatever life hands you.

We are all creatures of habit, until someone or something can prove otherwise.  I know I bite my nails when I get nervous, I wear the same shorts to bed most nights, I always put my socks on left foot first.  I always put my left leg through my pants before my right.  Lindsay pours her milk into the bowl and then adds her cereal to it so it remains crunchy - me, I can give a shit, I dump half the box in there, and pour milk over it.  It's scary if you think about the way you do things, even things as menial as getting dressed - I bet you do it the same way 95% of the time, you creature of habit.

I WANNA ROCK!!