Quoc the Nervous Man

Quoc the nervous man was walking down street trying no to step on little pieces of garbage that had been peppered on the sidewalk. Quoc have perfect "sidewalk strategy" for walking on the walk. See, he do his best to dodge splats, splatters, spuddles, puddles, and piles. To step on splat or spuddle would be a visit from death. Quoc was doing good, though. No spuddle. It was good day. Quoc has plain khaki coat. White shirt. Pants.

"I will get myself a bite of beef for lunch," he say, "Beef taste yummy." he thought to himself. He walked more to get beef.

A bus honked a big horn, "Bop!" and made him jump from scare. A little dog, walked by fat man, yipped loud, "Scripp!" and gave him shivers. Decision over if he should cross street, when there a flashing red hand countdown "Beep! Beep!...", or wait for the green light man, gave him a anxiety.

Cacophony of a those thing making Quoc nervous. He look around all over the street and sidewalker area. He know a few beef bites will make it all feel better. But the beef bites are still a walk away. He look around more. He look up at the sky. He look at his feet. He a whole man. He can do it. Deep breath he take. Exhale. Quoc ready for walk. He going to get beef.

Nice. Walk. Calm. Here come Quoc floating down sidewalk like he owns this town. A man asking for change over there. No problem. A woman with face wrinkles selling merchandise over there. Wave hello. A power tool drilling behind that open gate. Noisy, but no big issue. A lady with young child in stroller moving slow. Quick pivot, and Quoc is on his way. Peace.

Quoc keep walking. Noise all around. Pretty normal. One noise still noisiest. The stroller lady from before. That noise still near. Quoc turns around gets a glance. Stroller Lady is behind him. Quoc take a few steps faster fast, to make stroller noise less loud. Stroller noise stays the same noise level. Sounds like it still right behind him. Quoc walk faster.

Quoc turn around again, Stroller Lady still very close proximity. Hmm. Quoc take many steps faster. He want to lose that stroller noise. It become a very distracting from the world now. Is Stroller Lady follow Quoc?

Quoc worry if he turn around again Stroller Lady going to be offended that he keep staring. Or that he feel he has right to tell her to get away from him by giving her a rotten glance. Sidewalk belong to Stroller Lady just as much as belong to Quoc, after all. But Quoc remain nervous.

He still walk faster. The noise of wheel roll rubbing and bumping on sidewalk "Clobba-lobba-lobba-lobba, Clobba-lobba-lokk!..." reverberated through the universe, and into Quoc's ear to brain. Quoc cannot seem to shake Stroller Lady. Maybe she is a demon and Stroller Baby with Stroller Lady is demon ship navigator.

Feel like Stroller Lady chasing Quoc. And she going to jump on him, or stab on him, or eat him up. Quoc walk so fast now. Lightning? He only concern with losing Stroller Lady noise. He lose focus of "sidewalk strategy". Quoc slip on a splatter. 

"Ah!" say Quoc.

Quoc stand up. Clean pants dirty now. He turn around. Hey, he in front of beef bite place! Stroller Lady pass him by. New thing to be nervous about: How to pick what flavor of beef best to eat? 

Maybe Quoc just a nervous guy, and outside world not actually a threat. Maybe Quoc fear of thing come from something happen to Quoc at young age? Who can let Quoc know the answer?