As I’ve documented here many times, I routinely see repeat trail users during my near-daily lumbers. Until I don’t.

Around 10 months ago, I introduced you to The Guy My Imagination Thought Might Be Living in The Park. I would see him and his dog, Lola (not mine), almost every hike.

It turns out he did NOT live in the park, and was a friendly enough dude who called me “Boss,” and who would often tell me where he had seen critters earlier if I was looking for shots. And his dog, Lola, loved me, of course. Then, about a month ago, I stopped seeing him. I assumed he was on vacation, or maybe sick or something, and would soon return. But, nothing.

I don’t even know the cat’s name, but I somehow feel some sort of concern for him. Is he dead? Arrested? Sick? Or is he off on some grand adventure that has taken him away from the 591-acre woodsy playground he walked daily with his dog? Maybe he’ll return, or maybe he’s off to another park, and leading another trail user with an overactive imagination to question his living situation.

Then there’s the Chatty Cathys; two, pricy SUV-driving, super loud-talking, middle-aged moms who briskly walked the outer loop every Friday morning for well over a year with their mouths going 100 miles a minute. They NEVER said hi to me, ever! Until last January, that was the last Friday I ever saw them. Maybe Cathy #1’s Brian finally got that promotion he was after, and Cathy, Bryce, Kaden, Braden, Aiden, and Mason all had to move to Muncie? Sure hope her $85,000 Suburban is still treating her right, and that Kaden is finally done sucking his thumb; 12 did seem too old.

Another couple that has seemingly vanished is the Two Aging Hippies. I would see them, their slow-walking dog, and an occasional third Aging Hippy finishing up their walk just as I would arrive around 6:45. Then, about a month or so ago, I stopped seeing them or their sticker-covered Subaru altogether. They and their dog both seemed to be around the age, that “something could happen,” so maybe it did. Hope not, they always had a nice word to say.

Speaking of couples…

There is also Jim(?) and Mary (?). An outdoorsy, 75+ year old couple that I would see every single hike from May until January, when they would go someplace warm for the winter. They get question marks by their name, because about two years ago, as we passed each other for the 500th time, Mary(?) asked me my name and then introduced herself and her husband Jim(?) to me. To which I IMMEDIATELY forgot their names. I THINK it was Jim and Mary.

This January, they left for Snow-Birding and were, of course, back in May. I saw Jim(?) a couple of times, asked if he had a good winter, and he said it was great. I feared for Mary(?), but then I saw them together a few weeks later. Then, I stopped seeing them at all. They were always very nice and always had a good word to say as they stomped by with their trekking poles. This could be down to me starting my lumbers earlier and earlier, but again, I fear for them and hope they are doing well.

There are more, of course, but these are the ones that have me wondering what the hell happened to them. I also imagine that all of them are now hiking some better trail system, and happily hike without fear of running into “The Sweaty Fat Guy Who Hikes Almost Every Day With A Camera But Is Still Fat.”

Later.