I came to work early yesterday so that I could walk before I opened. It was a glorious day and I’ve been trying to get back in shape. I set out on my journey with exactly 40 minutes before I needed to hang the Open flag and get the money in the drawer.
I had barely made it down the street before someone coming out of a store wanted to ask about their special order. I couldn’t remember their order, and honestly, I was having a really hard time remembering their name. I punted and told them I would check when I got back to work.
One thing I noticed about walking a two-mile loop near the bookstore is every passing car is full of customers who all want to beep a hello. While this is lovely and actually very sweet, it can be a little unnerving when I’m deep in thought about how I can walk faster or trying to remember that customer’s name so I can look up their order.
I wasn’t going to do the two-mile loop, because, well, I’m not in the best shape and I didn’t want to have to hustle to get to work. But something about the sunshine and the warmth in the air made me go right rather than turn around. I was walking a steep hill when I checked the time. I had less than 15 minutes to make it to the store. I hustled. I kept a good rhythm in my head and suddenly out of nowhere I practically shouted, “Greenway!”  I somehow remembered the customer’s name. Feeling happy about that I walked faster. Each beep and wave spurring me on to a finish line that only I could see.
I must say, little kids waving hello from cars are adorable. They are so vigorous in their attempts to get my attention that I fear for their elbows. One little girl had a bulldog on her lap and waved and then raised her dog’s ears and waved them. I burst out laughing and was grateful for the extra speed the chuckle gave me.
So, with barely a moment to spare I arrived at the store ready to work. Luckily, the first customers came in after I had caught my breath. I remembered to call Greenway and had a great day knowing that I’d walked two miles before work. All in all, a good day.