Random Irritations

Daily vexations, in no particular order:

• People who don't shovel sidewalks. Umm, Boston just had four kids injured for lack of a sidewalk. Do we really need to shed blood to do the right thing?

• Snowshoers' apparent inability to share trails with cross-country skiers. Last week, at Maudsley State Park, I found myself tracking a herd of these bipeds. I think herd is accurate, for in wandering over the trail they managed to obliterate every trace of a painstakingly set ski track.Eventually I saw them. There were six or eight and they were indeed traipsing like a herd of cows. When they were out of sight at the bottom of a fairly steep hill I waited until their ambling should clear them out, and started down. But no! Here they were. Grouped at the bottom of the hill, oblivious to downhill traffic. One had his back to the downhill trail taking a picture. having been taught very young that if the choice was collision or fall, you fall, I cut out for a fall. This of course did not work in the snowshoe-shredded ruins of the trail, and my well-planned sideways slide turned into a half gainer and face plant. By the time I got to the bridge, the village had evidently reclaimed its idiots, for they were nowhere in sight.