8 JAN 08: NOT FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
Monday night was a beautiful night for running outside, with temperatures in the mid-60's F. A few days ago, I had to settle for jogging in a downtown gym. It's a nice place to visit - but I fear I look strange when I stick out my fingers to count the laps.
I stepped outside at 7:05 p.m. for my "Bi-State" course - up Front Avenue, across the Dillingham Street Bridge, down and up the Phenix City Riverwalk, across the 14th Street Pedestrian Bridge and then down Broadway toward home. It's what I call "urban running" - except I stopped and jogged in place on the sidewalk, when a crowd outside the Cannon Brew Pub blocked my way.
Based on my normal pace, I probably jogged across the 14th Street Bridge around 7:25 p.m. It appeared four people were on the bridge, seemingly talking about a TV set. That seemed unusual, because the most high-tech people usually have on that bridge is a bicycle.
A woman hollered at somebody, after I passed the group while jogging eastbound. But I jogged on, presuming they were NOT trying to get my attention. Yes, I was wearing bright gold running shorts on a warm January night -- but that does NOT mean I'm sexy.
The distance of the run was 3.15 miles non-stop, and I was thankful that everything turned out so nicely. But I had no way of knowing what I missed -- not until I turned to the 11:00 p.m. news. That's when I learned there was trouble on the 14th Street Bridge around 8:00, which ended with a deadly stabbing. Wearing gold shorts suddenly meant no one could finger me as a suspect.
The 14th Street Bridge used to be a nice piece of history, named after Horace King. But ever since auto traffic was moved to the 13th Street Bridge, it's become a pedestrian bridge -- and seems to have been ignored. No one's even bothered to hang political signs from it.
The TSYS parking garage and the historic Mott House are at the east end of the 14th Street Bridge. The Riverview Apartments sit near the west end. Every time I jog on that bridge, apartment dwellers seem to be on it. I've never noticed TSYS employees there - not even to offer the folks from the other end debit cards.
Early news reports indicate a fight developed on the 14th Street Bridge Monday night, involving groups of homeless people. That doesn't surprise me much, because I'm found people sleeping on the bridge a few times. It's a quiet spot after dark - and so poorly lit that police might need a flashlight or a stumble to find the people resting there.
I can understand why some people might feel unsafe on the 14th Street Bridge at night. But I've figured I had an advantage over the crowd which gathers there - I was usually running, and a moving target is harder to catch.
One man keeps telling me I shouldn't run downtown or on the Riverwalks at all after dark, because it's too dangerous. But Columbus is a city lacking in public recreation centers with running tracks. And besides, the evening was nice and mild - so why sweat in a gym when you can leave it on a sidewalk?
I actually noticed more police officers than usual on my Monday night course. A Columbus patrol car was turning around as I neared the east end of the 14th Street Bridge. And Phenix City police officers walked three big dogs, outside the amphitheater - so I held up my hands, so everyone would know I don't carry Milk-Bone dog biscuits when I run.
So I missed the deadly violence on the 14th Street Bridge by about 35 minutes, and I'm thankful for that. Perhaps the next time that course comes up in my running rotation, I'll move up the jogging time to 5:00 so there's daylight. But I've encountered at least one man in a rage near that bridge even in the afternoon - and yes, I knew better than to challenge him to a footrace.
Perhaps Phenix City is waiting for The Phenixian complex to be built, before taking steps to improve the 14th Street Bridge. I recall artists' sketches years ago which depicted large groups of people on the bridge, in an environment like a street fair. That was true to some extent Monday night - only the only things people might have been selling probably were illegal.
Before we watched the 11:00 p.m. news about the 14th Street Bridge, we had another topic in mind - so we'll start with that, in our review of other Monday news:
+ WRBL showed the opening day of practice at Columbus State University, for both men's baseball and women's softball. Yes, the first Monday of the year means it's time to think baseball. But actually, Roger Clemens started the season with that "first pitch" Sunday night on "60 Minutes."
(C'mon now -- baseball practice on 7 January?! Before the college football season officially ends? With scheduling like this, I'm not sure Jordan and Glenwood High Schools ever find enough basketball players to win state titles.)
+ Local and federal officials announced the arrest of two 21-year-old men, for a series of church fires in East Alabama. One of the suspects reportedly lived with his parents, and kept stolen items from a church in his bedroom. Don't they make Southern homes with crawl space anymore, for hiding merchandise?
+ A pilot flying from Lynchburg, Virginia to Dublin, Georgia ran out of fuel, and landed safely on Warm Springs Road. He wasn't far from Bill Heard Chevrolet - but I'm not sure even they would accept a trade-in like that.
+ A judge in Macon ruled a Native American grave site can be moved, so Moon Family Properties can build a new 1,000-unit housing development. In other states, this could have been settled differently - with the grave site reserved for a tribal casino.
+ Managers of the two new Wal-Mart SuperCenters told WLTZ they've received about 1,200 job applications so far. This could be the longest line of greeters this side of Auburn football's "Tiger Walk"....
+ Speaking of which, Auburn quarterback Blake Field announced he's transferring to Valdosta State for his senior season. His father seemed to blame Tommy Tuberville, writing the coach never intended to give Field a chance to start next fall. Carver's DeRon Furr is scaring opponents at the "next level" already.
+ Instant Message to the Valley Times-News and Eufaula Tribune: Please ignore that game on TV Monday night. Remember what you did with Auburn three years ago - and please declare MY Kansas Jayhawks the national college football champion! Or maybe the United States champion. Or the best team with only one loss to win a B.C.S. game. Or something....
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