Walk the Walk

April 7, 16

Walk the Walk ---Talk the Talk

Each day with rare exception begins with a walk in the Veterans’ Park.   I drive there (about a ten minute drive) after I’ve had coffee and something light to eat, and usually I’ve read my email, deleting most, the Oconee news online, and a quick glance at Facebook.  Infrequently I start the online Atlanta Journal, but usually I have to save that for after the walk. On the drive I generally listen to NPR, but sometimes just a CD.  The brief minute I am on Mars Hill into Watkinsville is the ugliest part of the trip, due to all the obnoxious road construction.  Hodges Mill and Parker Creek Road are idyllic pastoral places with fields, horses, cows, goats, geese, and an occasional deer bounding across the street.  One man at the corner of these two roads has a superior garden.

Most of the time I arrive a little earlier than the others, so I do some short walks around the parking lot, then Priscilla, Malcolm and often Liese arrive.  We walk for three miles in about an hour.  Many people we recognize from other mornings.  Some push baby strollers, others come with their dogs (on leashes- like Jane with Cosmo, or a couple with a little blind dog that leans into the sidewalk), some are into serious running, and others walk in small groups like ours. We make an attempt to stop all babies for oogling and googling.  Many of the babies are in dire need of sunglasses. Some are missing one sock.

We walk in all seasons and most weather, preferring autumn and spring.  Often mockingbirds mock us. On weekends especially the soccer fields are full, tennis courts in full swing, and softball underway.  When the weather is too severe to be outside, we go to the upstairs track in the main building.  This can be a very boring walk unless the senior citizens have their exercise class in the gym below.  One day one old woman fell off her chair, and that created quite a stir.  Most of our walk-talk is about what we are reading, the political news of the day, upcoming trips and events, grandchildren and ailments. A majority have had cataract surgery with Tony,   

and if they haven’t they will. We pretend to keep up with where our Usual Suspect friends are, but most travel so much that this is impossible.  For example, when I am asked about Malcolm, I just reply, “I think he is in Guatemala.”  He might be in Tifton or Mississippi but Guatemala seems more exciting to me somehow. 

We have started a tradition in the past few years as part of our walk.  On several holidays we decorate a medium-sized conifer- Valentines and Mardis Gras (one tree with

decorations for both holidays), Easter (Addie’s favorite),

Fourth of July, Halloween and Christmas.  Occasionally some of the other walkers add a few decorations.  We know people like this, because if they see us decorating or un-decorating they comment, and one sassy gal has named us the Ninja Tree Decorators.  On a few occasions some ornaments have come up missing, but for the most part everything stays intact.  Malcolm pretends not to like the decorating, but if I don’t pull out decorations, he gets perturbed, and he liked it a lot when the sassy gal called him a Ninja Tree Decorator.  We did skip the Fourth of July last summer, because it was just too hot to walk near the tree.  This year we have decided our Fourth of July tree will be in the shade.  We are a clever group. 

When Malcolm does walk, he always begins by declaring that he is too cold – actually he says he is freezing.  He has his dog, Jango, who is very strong and makes an effort to free himself from Malcolm’s grip whenever he comes upon another dog.  He’s pretty strong and almost succeeds most days.  One day he actually pulled the leash apart.  He also likes to do his business in often the same spot, so Malcolm has to carry little plastic bags to pick up the sh_t.  If you don’t pick up the sh_t, you can get a big whopping fine. Also Jango enjoys immensely tangling up his own and other people’s legs in his leash.  I’m sure Jango is a lot of fun for Malcolm.  They always make it back to their truck first, and Jango gets to sit in Priscilla’s seat until she arrives, listening to nice classical music.  He looks very proud.