My park and its inhabitants

My park is a place where one could sit for ages and observe. You can tell that just that alone, keeps me going back day after day. I started jogging in march and since then, I have come to recognise the different regulars on the scene. First of all, I'd like to give a quick descrption of where it is located. My park divides three distinct neighbourhoods, an all white middle class, an arab neighbourhood and a mixed neighbourhood (all immigrants included here), and so the park makes for interesting studies of people. Here are the major players according to their ranks in the park.

1) The football boys: These boys are there every single day, no matter the weather, they will be playing football. At first, my presence was amusing to them and for the first couple of days I put up with jokes and laughter from that area, infact, two of them used to "imitate" me everytime I jogged past, which they found very amusing, I am sure. These days, they no longer notice me, I am now accepted. No jokes, no laughter, infact I think I have seen a couple of nods as a form of greeting.

2) The mothers and their kids in the play ground: This group of people I would say are the most unwelcoming in the park, they are suspicious of new commers and guide their children like hawks. They also fight occasionally over swings and slides, its not a pretty sight. I avoid them.

3) Arab women in groups: These people work in threes, fives, sometimes tens, and they do not walk behind each other, they walk side by side, the whole breadth of the track, talking and laughing away. They were very intimidated in the begining, speaking their language and laughing as I jogged past, these days, a couple of them now have gym shoes under their flowing gowns.

4)Arab men in groups: Same as above, the difference is they chain smoke and destroy my lungs and also, they are fond of checking out my ass. Generally encouraging, clapping of hands and shouts of "jalla jalla" as I run past them.

5)Somalian women and their husbands: They are often engrossed in something, don't know what, I am yet to figure this group of people out. I'll give an update if I find anything.

6)White women and their dogs: The same people everyday. Same time. Boring. Nothing here.

7)Old people on benches: My favourite people, they smile as I run past, very nice, sometimes I exchange a few words with them.

8)Young men on benches: Or should i just say the neighbourhood potheads? sitting and smoking and staring. Nothing interesting here.

9)Young women on benches: There to check out the guys, they basically just sit there and giggle or play with their mobile phones.

10)Children on bicycles: This group, I am not so fond of, they never look where they are going and often attempt to "race" me as I jog, they are accident prone, and I wish they would just leave me alone.

11)Dumbasses on scooters: The sign says "no scooters allowed", I wish they'd obey the law, I have been tempted to call the police a couple of times.


12)Fellow joggers: All skinny and looking fit, not friendly at all.

13)People under hedges or in shaded area of trees: I assume rough play and hanky panky going on.

Those, my friends, are the regulars in my park.