Every adjuster in the Atlanta office was mobilized, and I found myself driving along the Flint River in Middle Georgia far away from my urban comfort.
The flooding had been extensive so I was keeping an eye out for damage. That coupled with driving through unfamiliar territory I was keen to detail in the landscape, which consisted mostly of the river on one side and woods and the odd farm or shack on the other.
It was as I was passing one of those shacks that something or someone caught my eye. Actually, it was the only human being I had seen for the past hour, and that includes any other vehicle on the road.
I saw him near the shack through the trees - a tall black man dressed in denim bib overalls, and he was simply standing still looking at the road. Or so I thought. I caught the action out of the corner of my eye, and it took a second for my brain to register.
Was he masturbating? Although a fleeting glimpse, I could almost swear he was pleasuring himself out in the open. That couldn't be right. I had to turn around, I thought.
"Had to turn around? Why in the world would I have to turn around? Why do I need to substantiate that a strange black man is jacking off?" my mind asked. Because I had to.
Sure enough, I found myself slowing down and making a Y turn on the narrow highway giving little heed to those questions going through my head.
I drove slowly back trying to retrace my steps, trying to remember which side of the shack he was on, or if I had even seen anyone. And my mind continued the questions, "what was I going to do when I found him?"
The sight of the overalls finally made me pay attention to those thoughts.
"Well, there he is. Now what?"
"Wait a minute, I'm slowing down? Why?"
I stopped the car and turned off the engine. He saw me, but whatever he was doing it didn't faze him one bit as he stayed in place with his arm moving back and forth.
"I've unbuckled my seatbelt! Surely, I'm not thinking of ..."
I exited the car and began walking toward him. He simply stared at me with no trace of emotion on his face.
I nodded at him as I walked away from the car but he did not acknowledge.