I was listening to ‘Come On Eileen’ by Dexy’s Midnight Runners.

I was driving behind a black Rolls Royce.

Earlier in the week, I had taken my children to the beach. We built sandcastles, buried my youngest up his neck, took photos, and went bodyboarding.

Swimming in the sea has tremendous health benefits. It cures depression, clears your skin, resets your skin’s biome, helps you lose weight, increases red and white blood cell counts, and boosts circulation.

The gasp which causes our mouths to open when we are shocked is a fast, deep in-breath that evolved to provide a quick burst of extra oxygen to help deal with startling events. This makes the mouth vulnerable, so covering it may be a protective gesture.

The Pacific cold is energizing. It makes you whimper.

Approximately, 66,000 homeless people live on the streets of LA. They’re seen through screens by the rest of us. Others. Zombies. Four of them die a day on average. Drugs. Murder. Hit and run.

These people round here

Wear beatdown eyes sunk in smoke-dried face

So resigned to what their fate is

But not us (no never)

No not us (no never)

We are far too young and clever

Toora loora, toora loo rye ay

Eileen, I'll hum this tune forever

The first thing I noticed as the cars slowed down was the people on the sidewalk. Their hands were over their mouths.

Then I saw a man in tears, his hands on his head, gripping his hair.

Attributing human intent to non-human animals, spirits, robots, or other entities, real or imagined, is one way that people make sense of the behaviors and events that they encounter. Humans are a social species with a brain that evolved to quickly process social information. The tendency to view non-humans in terms of human-like characteristics has been theorized to be a product of that evolution.

Seventy percent of people who own a Roomba—the much-hyped room-cleaning robot—end up giving it a name. Ours was named by my eldest son. He calls it Fred. Future. Robot. Eats. Dirt.

I can’t explain it but the Rolls Royce seemed to develop body language. It tip-toed around a scene not yet seen. Like it was being respectful.

Greek doctors still prescribe beach visits to their patients.

A pedestrian was struck by three vehicles and killed in Hollywood, and police today sought public help to find one of the motorists, who fled the scene.

Paramedics sent to Wilton Place and Santa Monica Boulevard about 9:45 p.m. Thursday took the man to a hospital, where he died, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. His name was withheld, pending notification of his relatives.

A black homeless man.

Twisted.

Unnatural.

Under a car.

Blood like an oil slick.

Blue screen-wash dripping into the blood.

My hand automatically covered my mouth.

Toora loora, toora loo rye ay

After coming out of the sea my skin seemed to vibrate. My blood capillaries were charged. I felt so alive. So lucky.

I Saw A Man Die Yesterday