In Counterpoint

Journal Entry: Weight = 176.4; Found Money =$.78, 28 pennies, 4 nickels, 3 dimes; Glass bottles retrieved = 6. In Counterpoint

Feature Entry: Today’s walk was brisk with beautiful clear cool weather. The MoneyWalker’s selected Proustian thought is "in counterpoint." I first started using the word after one of the moderators of a book group used the word to make a non-conventional observation.

I thought of "in counterpoint" when finding a penny on the wrong side of the street. As I “hit the streets”, I walk against the flow of the cars and focus on the area between the curb and the area designated for off-street parking. Curb walking takes me to the money spots. Because of the location of money spots, street crossing is frequent, and j-walking (middle of the street crossing) is typical. There are many boulevards in my area of New Orleans and each have “neutral grounds,” that is the lanes are divided by a curbed median. The curbed areas coming off the median is never for parking, only for driving; thus, not a likely place to find money, or a safe place to be looking. So why when I am j-walking do I carefully look against the curb for money? Because I find it there. Early morning j-walking is usually car friendly, but I look very carefully when crossing.

The notion of finding money in unlikely places is in counterpoint to what is learned from straight ahead walking to established money spots such as fast food drive-through and coin operated newspaper stands. Still, I like to play my hunches and experiment by searching in unlikely places for that elusive coin. Three days ago I found a quarter right up against the left side curb as I j-walked to check an opposite side newspaper stand. Given its coloration, it had been there for weeks, waiting for the counterpoint thinking MoneyWalker to come its way.

"In counterpoint" is also a worthy thought for a few blocks of walking. Must we always abide by conventional wisdom? In music "counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm, and interdependent in harmony." Add a little unexpected harmony in your "walk," take an occasional walk in counterpoint.

MoneyWalker