I need something different, something quiet, something where the foliage will be nice, so I decide to head to the cemetery. I get myself ready, jump in my car, and drive a couple of miles to West Parish, totally psyched for my quiet outing in the fresh air. I hope I don't get too nervous being all alone in the cemetery.
As I maneuver my car down by the stone chapel, I notice people, lots and lots of people. The cemetery is more crowded with walkers today than it is with spirits on Halloween under a full moon when the clock strikes midnight.
I guess I don't need to worry about being too secluded should I run into an emergency.
There's a woman walking two children, several elderly people chugging along up the rickety stone sidewalk, three women walking three dogs even though this is a no-dog zone, and one super-creepy man. I am also close enough to the main road that I could sprint easily and be seen almost immediately by dozens of cars.
This doesn't stop me from taking risks, though. I hit a few short but secluded woodland paths that run along the outskirts of the massive cemetery, and, quite frankly, it's making me a little nervous. Being out in the woods, even only one hundred yards off the main trail and onto a secluded one, my fight-or-flight response kicks in. I remember that no one (but random walkers) knows where I am, so, after 1.75 miles, I pack it in and start heading home.
Before I get back to my car, I pull my phone out of the arm strap and snap a photo so I can remember how beautiful it is today. I'll come back again when the trees hit peak here, about another week, and try again for the solitude I crave and the fresh air I need.
