I took an Instagram selfie, I was sitting on the patio of a local bakery, listing to Sea Change by Beck, an album to this point I had never heard but assumed I would like. I had not intended to listen to Sea Change, it was just there, on my MP3 player.

But let me back up for a second…

I came for oatmeal and coffee, which is common on Thursday mornings after my weight watchers meeting and when I have a few hours between other commitments. I just figure I will spend two hours in Jackson as opposed to driving back home for thirty minutes before I have to leave again. I went to Broad Street Café with the intention to eat my oatmeal, drink my coffee, and continue my reading of Wild by Cheryl Strayed. I loved the movie and it is a wonderful book, lately I have been reading about a lot about hiking on the American long trails. Understand that I’m not reading trail guides but stories, stories of accomplishment and stories of wilderness wandering, I followed the Appalachian Trail South then North again with the Barefoot Sisters then I followed Awol’s trek, after that I decided to read about the Pacific Crest Trail with a book called I Promise not to Suffer. After refusing to suffer with Gail Storey, I took a trip back to the AT and followed Earl Shaffer as he walked with spring. Then, back to the PCT after with some Hikertrash and now, I figure since I had read A Walk in the Wood so many years back I should also read Wild.

Broad Street Bakery -Jackson, MS

So there I was with the intention of reading, but my headphones sat, still covered in spider webs from my last hiking trip on the Noxubee Hills Trail in Central Mississippi. But instead of reading more of Chery’s story, I took a selfie and posted it to Instagram. Sadly I had to use my phone since I didn’t have film for my Polaroid Camera. Then, I took a picture of the patio and highway from the perspective of my chair. I played with the slidebars of the picture software on my phone trying to make the picture look like the music I was listening to (something the Polaroid would have done naturally).

I sat there silently, headphones on, with an empty bowl and cup, I wondered if I should start reading then I thought, Nah I will just continue to stare into space listening to music being consumed by the void… for just a little bit longer, before re-entering the world.

It was chilly in the shade that morning, I wish I’d brought a scarf.