A little more about Del

Saw Del on my way in this morning (Monday, 6/19/06). And I saw some cyclist friends who asked about Del. Seems he has a following among a lot of us who wonder what his story is. Even my boss, who rides occasionally said he and a fellow cyclist had talked about Del and his odd vigil.

Some have asked if I thought Del was "all there." No, I don't. I think he's a nice, harmless guy with a possibly tragic story who has no bad intentions. But all there, nah not really.

I saw him again this evening on my way home. We got to talking and he laughed again at my lame attempts to find out what's behind his freeway obsession. I told him he was starting to get a following, lots of people pass by and wonder what he's staring at and why.

He got kind of quiet and serious and looked away. He said it wasn't a "mistake" or anything "bad" why he was there. Then he said it was hard to talk about. He looked like he might tear up. Then he said he couldn't talk with me about that anymore, that it was "not good" for him to talk about it.

I felt bad. What if he'd been in a wreck on the freeway and lost his wife, or a child? And here I was, seemingly mocking his pain, picking at the scab. Who cares what the reason is for his obsession? He's not hurting anyone.

I apologized for prying and said I hadn't meant to make him upset or offend him in any way. I was just curious, I said, it's not every day you see someone so dedicated to something so out of the ordinary. He smiled and said, again, that I would know someday what this was all about.

I think next time I see him I'll just ask him what he's having for lunch and not bother him about his secret.