Not Just A Walk In the Park!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 9:43AM By Tom Johnson
The phone call came over the weekend. It was my daughter, Ashley.
“Hi Dad,” she said in an overly happy voice.
I don’t know if it’s a father’s instinct or what, but you know when the “ask” of a favor is coming.
“I was wondering if I could drop my car off to you on Sunday night and, then on Monday morning, you could take it into the dealer for some repairs,” she said.
Translation: Dad, I can’t be without a car, so I’ll come get yours, while mine’s in the shop and, hence, you’ll be without.
Hey, no problem.
I did what most fathers would do for their daughters. I said, “Of course.”
Sunday night she came by, pointed out the repairs needed and left with my vehicle.
Monday morning came and I drove hers to the dealership and dropped it off.
The dealership offered me a ride back to the office, but knowing I could use any exercise, I walked the few blocks.
As a reward for the several blocks of exercise, I stopped off at a donut shop on the way for a healthy glazed old-fashion and a cup of coffee.
Nothing like good exercise and the diet to go with it.
Later in the morning the dealership called and said that one of the parts needed was on back order. It would take another day.
So that night I walked home.
Block, after block, after block.
When you’re out of shape, funny things go through your mind. “Can I die just walking home?’
The answer, of course, was no.
At home I took refuge in my usual spot. No, not on the treadmill, but on the couch.
Legs outstretched on the coffee table.
As the evening went on, I realized I had a 7:30 meeting the next morning and no car to get there (my wife leaves the house much earlier for her job).
Even after getting to bed well after midnight, I set the alarm early, allowing for the long walk to get there.
It’s hard to calculate just how long a good walk will take. And so, as the start of the meeting came and went with me still five or six blocks away, the pace quickened.
One might not think it’s hot at 7:30 in the morning, but as I walked into the meeting with sweat dripping off my brow, slightly out of breath, I was proof that it was.
The meeting lasted just long enough for me to cool down and get ready for the next leg of my adventure.
As the clock moved towards nine o’clock, I was off again on the sidewalks and streets of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. This, however, was the longest walk yet.
Shortly into it, I could feel the endorphins kick in. Health was consuming my body.
Down one street, cut across another, let’s try an alley. I saw houses and places I’ve never seen before.
But finally, the vision of my office came into focus, off in the distance; so did that donut shop from the day before.
Left for the office, right for the donut shop. A difficult training decision.
I decided to think it over … over another glazed old-fashion and a cup of coffee.
Later, back in the office, the day went on and I actually was looking forward to getting my car back. And so were my legs.
But, lo and behold, the dealership calls and, yes, that same part has come in, but is damaged.
Translation: another day of walking.
The good news is realizing that after a good, long walk tomorrow morning, not only will my office be waiting at the same time and same place, but more importantly, that donut shop will have another fresh old-fashion on the rack.
Boy, this walking and getting into shape life is good.
Tom Johnson is co-publisher of the Newport-Mesa Daily Voice.
Tom Johnson, dad, walk in Tom Johnson
Reader Comments (1)
Tom, I am so glad to know I am not the only father in the world who gets those kinds of phone calls from a daughter. I believe it is her way of telling me I need to work out more, too. By the way, if you like the old-fashioned glazed donut, try the buttermilk glazed donut for a change of pace. [grin] Your tall (and now wide) high school classmate, Paul Mitchell