1. As its name might suggest, Industrial Way is not known for being pedestrian-friendly. The road in the Northern

Question

California city of Benicia is lined with trucking companies, warehouses and metal-finishing factories. As it curves north, before it turns into Channel Road, the street cuts under busy Interstate 680. So when Corporal Kirk Keffer of the Benicia Police Department spotted a lone, lanky teenager walking on Industrial Way during the graveyard shift a few Saturdays ago, he was curious. It was after 11 P.M. and dark outside, and the boy was just nearing the highway overpass.

2. “Usually in the industrial area, there’s no foot traffic, so it was kind of weird to see someone walking around on foot,” Keffer told The Washington Post. He stopped his patrol car, got out and called out to the pedestrian. Was he okay? What was he doing out there by himself?

3. The teenager, 18-year-old Jourdan Duncan, was equally startled at first. “I was absolutely 1 nervous,” he said. “I thought, okay, um, did I do anything wrong? Is he going to put me in cuffs? I didn’t do anything bad.” Duncan told Keffer he was walking back to his parents’ home in Vallejo. He had just gotten off from his job, where the teen worked on the packaging line from 3 P.M. until around midnight.

4. “Vallejo? That’s like seven miles away,” Keffer said he remembered saying to Duncan. Soon, he had cleared out the passenger seat in his patrol car and offered Duncan a ride home. On the drive, Keffer asked the teen more questions. Why Benicia? Why not drive to work? He was agog 2 that anybody would walk more than two hours each way, every day.

5. “Vallejo? That’s like seven miles away,” Keffer said he remembered saying to Duncan. Soon, he had cleared out the passenger seat in his patrol car and offered Duncan a ride home. On the drive, Keffer asked the teen more questions. Why Benicia? Why not drive to work? He was agog that anybody would walk more than two hours each way, every day.

6. When the timing belt and an engine valve on his 2001 Volvo broke in July, Duncan got a few rides from friends and co-workers, but soon decided he would try to walk to avoid burdening 3 others. “I didn’t want to always call somebody and be like, ‘Hey, can you pick me up?’” he said. “That would have took a lot of people’s time.” Duncan never told his parents he started walking. (“They thought I was getting rides every day,” he admits.) The first time he plotted out a walkable route on Google Maps, it spit out an estimated commute 4 time of 2 hours and 15 minutes. “This is going to be a long walk,” Duncan thought. On his first day going to work by foot, he didn’t know what to expect. “The whole way there I just had my earphones in, kept quiet and I just power-walked 5 the whole way.” That was in July. Gradually, the foot commute grew easier for him. “The walk now, it’s not a problem for me,” he said.

Answer 1

7. Keffer learned that Duncan's commitment to walking stemmed from his determination to maintain his job despite his car troubles. The teenager explained that the packaging line job was important to him, not only for the income but also for the experience it provided. Every day, he woke up early and began his trek, sometimes leaving home before dawn to ensure he arrived at work on time.

8. As they drove toward Vallejo, Duncan shared more about his life. He talked about his aspirations—how he hoped to go to college to study environmental science and eventually find a job that would allow him to contribute to sustainability efforts. Keffer listened intently, impressed by Duncan's drive and responsibility at such a young age.

9. Once they reached Vallejo, Keffer dropped Duncan off outside his home, reminding him to stay safe while walking at night. As the teenager got out of the patrol car, he felt a wave of gratitude. “It was a really nice gesture for him to do that,” Duncan said later, reflecting on the encounter. “I truly appreciated that he cared enough to give me a ride.”

10. The meeting with Keffer left a lasting impression on both men. For Keffer, it was a reminder of the diverse stories behind the people he encountered during his patrols, and a reinforcement of his belief in the importance of community support. For Duncan, it inspired him to continue working toward his goals, proving that even in challenging circumstances, determination and resourcefulness could lead to positive outcomes.