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
