My favorite running trail ended up underneath the Missouri river for most of the summer, so I’ve had to search around the area for new trails. I just found a new one, and the two times I’ve been there, I’ve found myself passing these two little old men who are walking together. They’re always talking to each other very loudly in Italian, complete with big, dramatic hand gestures.
It’s only a one-mile trail, so I pass them a lot. Finally, one of them called out to me very loudly — either because that’s just the way he talks or because he could sense I had Bon Jovi blaring into my ears — “Hey! How many mile you gonna do?” He held up his fingers. “Four? Five?”
I held up five fingers, even though I’d only gone four miles and was ready to give up. Italian Guy seemed impressed. Then I realized I was going to have to finish the five miles, because I didn’t want to let the Italian Guys down.
I finished, and I think all three of us were pretty happy. I saw them again as I walked to my car, and the same guy said — again, very loudly — “You-a have a good day, Baby!”
Baby. I’m still laughing about that.
