My son Alex and I
have been spending a lot of time walking this summer. We've
discovered new parks and walking routes all over the county.
It was as we were
walking around one of our favorite shady routes (a mile loop around a
rugby field) that I noticed a couple coming towards us with a large
dog on a leash. I immediately dropped back walking single file behind
Alex because the path wasn't very wide. As we passed each other I
noticed they were still walking side by side causing me to go further
into the tall grass. Once they were past I went back on the trail and
began looking at my legs.
“What are you
doing?” Alex asked.
“I'm tick
checking.” I couldn't help feel annoyed as I brushed off a little
speck of dirt that at first I thought was a tick. “How come we seem
to be the only ones who have walking etiquette?” I said as we began
walking again.
Alex started to
laugh. “Walking etiquette, that's a good one.”
“I'm serious!”
I saw a jogger coming towards us. “Watch.” As the jogger came
closer I smiled and said, “Good morning!”
She smiled back.
“Morning!”
After she passed I
looked at Alex. “See, that's walking etiquette.”
Alex shrugged his
shoulders. “She was jogging.” he reminded me. “But I see your
point.”
We could hear
another jogger coming up behind us so we both moved to the side to
let him pass.
“Thanks.” he
said as he jogged by.
“You're welcome!”
I called even though he had ear buds in his ears. I looked over at
Alex and shrugged my shoulders. “I know he probably didn't hear me
but I'm still going to be polite.”
“Hey, you're all
about the etiquette now! I get it.” We'd finished the first loop
and began to go around again.
We said 'Good
morning!' a dozen more times, mixing it up with an occasional smile
and a nod depending on how we were feeling at the moment.
“See! This is
what I'm talking about.” I sighed. “It's a beautiful day, we're
walking in the shade where it's nice and cool and we're on our second
mile around the Rugby Loop!” I inhaled the wonderful pine smell and
sighed again. “What a great day!”
We began seeing the
same people as they were walking their second or third loop. We
smiled and said our “Morning!” when I noticed an elderly lady,
walking slowly by herself, coming towards us..
I looked over at
Alex. “Good for her.” I said.
Alex looked
confused. “Who?”
I tipped my head
in her direction as Alex looked up the path.
“That's how I
want to be when I get to be her age.” I took another deep breath of
the pine smell. “Doesn't matter how slowly she goes, she's still
out enjoying nature and getting some exercise!”
We were now within
earshot of each other. “Morning” I called smiling and giving her
a head nod.
“I've already
seen you.” she grumbled under hear breath as she moved past us and
continued her walk.
We waited until she
was far enough away before we started to laugh.
“You still want
to be just like her when you get older?” Alex asked.
Love, love the ending, lol.
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