Running for Your Life: Running Partner Surprise

Usually, well for about forty years, I run alone. Today (Jan. 15), though, there was an exception.

A man in the middle of Prospect Park flagged me down and I stopped to see what he wanted. He was holding a smartphone and he said two words in what I didn’t at first take as a question:

“Skating rink.”

After a pause, I said, “I can tell you where that is.”

Then I explained a pretty straightforward three-part route.

“Have you got that?”

The stranger feigned confidence and nodded his head, ever so slightly.

I resumed my run, but then after a few strides returned to him.

“I’m going that way. I can show you.”

He grinned, and in his civilian clothes of jeans, light winter coat and soft-soled shoes, started to run. I slowed a bit, but soon we were running side by side at my regular pace.

“You visiting?” I said.

He stared at me blankly.

“From China?”

“Yes,” he said, beaming. “Chinese.”

We ran in silence together for about five minutes until we were in earshot of the shrieks of children skating at the rink on this public  holiday in New York City.

“There you are,” I said, pointing in the direction of the outdoor rink.

“Thank you very much,” my running friend said.

I ran ahead, and when I double-backed on my road home I looked for him but couldn’t spot him, although the scene was very festive indeed.

Next: Running for Your Life: Resistance Obsession


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