But It Totally Up-ends

My little one announced that she wanted to go to the gym with me.  It’s been well over a year since she or her sister have accompanied me in the wee hours to visit the gym.   I was given notice last night that she intended to join me.  And as we examined what this would mean it became clear that the only other bike we owned wasn’t ready to ride and it would mean going over in the car.  Not a big deal, it’s a five-minute drive.  But it totally upends my routine.  I have biked over every day I’ve gone this year.   And this means that when I arrive, I’m pre-done with the cardio reqs.  I like it this way.  And I think, more than I probably should about what it will mean to drive there tomorrow morning. 

I’m up early, as always.  And I’ve time or everything:  the night’s emails, the morning paper, the second morning paper, the morning’s translation of news in Chinese, (let’s re-read about the black-hole photograph in the Chinese press, now.) and by 5:20AM I’m good to get down on the floor and meditate in the dark.  Stretches at the end, it’s the only way they ever happen, and now, as agreed, a bit earlier than I’d usually go I trod up the stairs to let her know it’s almost show-time. 

The initial reaction isn’t promising.  Frowns.  Turn around.  Buried beneath the covers.  “Be down in five” I state flatly as I toss her phone which is still faintly humming along as it has all night with an infinite BTS loop.

I assemble a small wash cloth and some gym socks and before long I hear her plodding down the stairs.  Well, well.  Cool.  We’ll head out ensemble.  I notice that I back out of the drive with extra care.  I press play the Herbie Nichols CD that has accreted a permanent place in the car’s CD player.  I am conscious of driving extra carefully.  I haven’t bothered to drive here in a while and mediate on all that would be ruined were I to have a fender bender or worse.  At the school, I park where I usually park my bike, out of habit.  We head in and she goes straight into it on the running machine.  Around the time I’m half way through my routine she is standing near me, starring, suggesting that it is time to leave, which I don’t agree with.  Can’t say whether she’ll join me again tomorrow, but it was good to have her with me this morning.  Felt like old times 

Thursday, 04/11/19