by Patricia Cady
…And take someone with you, a friend or neighbor sidelined by an infirmity or age who has a new respect for gravity. I mean the former go-for-its who had their pet treks up and down Telegraph Hill. Until something, like an ankle or a muscle, went rogue.
New shoes might not help. Nor will you be motivated to count your steps which is like wondering how many purrs there are in a cat. So you’re stuck with the truth about purring and walking—every cat is different.
Had there been a contest, I’d have voted for myself—for a while. Pride and pain took me to Walgreens, then to a medical pro for the unwanted advice to slow down. Reluctantly, I did.
I remember that I’d often see an older woman at her window looking out as if she’d like to come with me. To this day, I regret that I never thought to invite her. She could have grabbed a cane if she used one, and certainly one of my arms.
Oh, and bring your library card, just in case.
