Memorial Day Stroll

So since I have started going to the gym, with stern but wonderful encouragement by my guru, Enrique, I have walked much less in my 'hood. I put in miles and miles on the treadmill, uphill for better cardiac conditioning, and the local walks have greatly diminished.  But today I was to meet Enrique for a session at 7, and he texted last night.

Today is his birthday, and he was going to to "exceed the shoes." "Shoes" is a term I learned and taught him, which holds that martinis are like shoes: one is not enough, and you don't need more than two. But for special occasions, one exceeds the shoes, and that was my guru's plan last night, which would impact an early meeting. I wished him a happy birthday and will see him later in the week. But meanwhile, I had some activity to make up.

I left at 7 am, before the sun was too strong, and sure enough, there was a delightful breeze. I got two houses down, and saw our neighbor Judy, who I call the rich widow Judy, as that is what she is. I stopped and chatted -- I haven't seen her in over a year. She told me she's lost 40 pounds on a regimen of exercise and strict diet -- no meat, dairy, or sugar. Judy has no kids or grandkids, and I wanted to ask her why she was bothering. I think if I got to near 70 and no kids or grandkids depended on me -- I might start eating everything, and maybe even take up heroin. But I guess self preservation is a strong force...

I then started my stroll in earnest -- no more stops. I enjoyed the foliage -- the Royal Poincianas are in bloom, and their impossible colors are really a sight to behold. Plant lovers come to Miami to see them in May and June, apparently -- especially a block of South Miami Avenue, West of Brickell, where the colors are truly riotous.

As I turned a corner, two peacocks were showing off to each other -- full plumage. I tipped my Canes baseball hat to them. They had zero fear of me.  The sun made the trees and lovely houses even prettier. There is truly no light like we have in Miami -- clear and stark.

My Lyft driver just said the same thing. The fellow who drove me to Reagan was a black guy about my age -- he had visited Florida for the first time, and said while he never needs sunglasses in DC -- he needed them in Florida -- the light was so strong.

I passed a few nice, post menopausal walker women -- I vaguely recognized them. I turned past our neighbor Gloria's house, and wondered how she was getting on as a widow -- Ben had dropped dead while running several months ago.

Barry reminded me of him during one of our talks in DC -- a classic "Dave loves to tell horrible tales of death of our contemporaries" moment.

But no death today! In fact, as I walked our Full Squad was texting happily about Jonathan's grandmother Judy. Joey gave us that name -- Full Squad -- meaning Wifey, the Ds, both of their men, and me.

Jonathan's grandmother Judy, the true queen of the family, was on a panel yesterday, at a local black church yesterday, speaking of her experiences of survival in the Holocaust. She told about being hidden by a kindly, gentile friend of her mother's, in a convent. The Mother Superior was an elegant woman right out of a movie -- and Judy learned a critical life lesson, which she shared -- the only way to really survive is through the love and help of others.

The funny part of the presentation is that Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the whiny Congresswoman from Broward, was also on the stage, and tried to be the alpha woman -- cutting Judy off as she told her tale. Judy put her in her place -- charmingly but sternly ignoring DWS, as she is called . Clearly the audience wanted to hear Judy, and not DWS. It was masterful.

We all really love and admire Judy. She knew her grandson Jonathan was destined to marry D2 -- she used to introduce D2 as "my future granddaughter." And what Judy deems so seems to always become -- she is a powerful woman, who gives love freely like she does the Venezuelan chocolates she always carries.  D2 is marrying into royalty...

So I finished my 2.2 miles and again remembered why I love living where I do. I get to walk in a tropical garden -- with lovely privacy. It's completely safe for my family when they visit. It's a charmed neighborhood.

I need to remember to keep the outside walks on my itinerary. They're good for the soul as well as the body...