3 ('It's hard to take risks')

I have my headphones in and I'm trying to see things through my Holga. Just walking around. I'm not expecting to see him sitting there when I walk around the corner. We stare. Stare. At each other. And I pass. I walk by. I round the corner and have to squat on the pavement to catch my breath. I pull out my headphones and gasp, get up, turn around, and then turn back. When I finally get the courage to round the corner again he's headed my way. Walking right toward me. We stare. Stare. And maybe nod. I curse under my breath. I've just rounded the corner twice and I've not kept my promise to myself. I'm a pansy. I walk to the parking garage in hopes to glimpse him from above. But I get a much better view. I see a bike with a baby blue helmet on the top of the parking garage. I use my last frame of my Holga on it and then debate sitting there until he comes along thinking I'll just casually glance up from my book to ask him, 'How fast does that thing go?' .

I wait. I read. It's windy. I have to leave soon. I get up, frustrated with my lack of courage. I figure I'll do a loop around the block before I head to where I'm supposed to be in a half hour. And there he is. Again. Lit from the side by a slightly sinking sun. I glance this time, I feel, with more purpose and say 'hey' as I pass. He returns it.

I'm ten paces away screaming at myself in my head so loud I almost don't here him ask, 'Hey, what's your name?'
'My name?'
I think that's what I ask.
'Megan. And yours?'

'Rick. Rich. Richard.'

'All of them?' My attempt at being funny.
'Rick.'
He shifts his weight to his feet, since he's sitting, to this interesting lean forward where he outstretches his hand to shake mine. I notice a tattoo on his right arm. I've forgotten now, but it's either right above or below the crease of the elbow.
He sits back down to say, 'I've seen you around a lot. Just thought I'd ask.'
'Yeah. You from the area?' Please say yes.
'Guilford. You?'
'I live in Putney. But I work in town.'
'Oh yeah? Where?'
'Beadniks.' Sigh.
'Well, I didn't mean to interrupt your walk.'
'Naw, don't worry about it. No big plans for today. Spent most of it doing nothing.'
'It's a good day to do nothing.'
'Sure is.' Sure fucking is. 'See you around.'
'Yeah.'

I don't know what else to say.

I should have asked if he rode a motorcycle.

He asked me my name.