Threes Hour

I.

Right where it crosses Highway 87,
a man in a long coat
seemed to glide across River Drive North
stopping lines of traffic in my rearview mirror.
Tall and lean with a scruffy beard
and auburn hair peeking out from a hat,
he held a bow in one hand.
With his other hand
he plucked the string of his bow
while he strode up and onto the sidewalk.

Traffic continued and I considered the gentleman,
drove on home, and let him go.

II.

About an hour later,
on Smelter Avenue,
across from the Best Friends Animal Hospital,
I spied this odd little guy.
He wore green knee-length shorts
with suspenders over a heavy white shirt.
A green vest, and pointy green hat
topped off his ensemble.

A thick red beard spotted his chin.
At the NW Bypass intersection's red light,
I looked in the rearview mirror.
He was gone! He must be a leprechaun.
I turned to see he had merely crossed
to the other side of the street-
an odd little man, indeed.

III.

Heading south
on 38th Avenue North,
something dropped
over that white vinyl fence
on the east side of the road
and caught my eye.

A young man sporting a long coat with tails
and a short maroon top hat,
pedaled his bike down the curb
and into the oncoming lane—
empty except for him-
arms out--sitting tall.
A whistling jester weaving balance
back
and forth.