About a dozen or so years ago, the town of Clarkstown built a walkway around the lake. It was a big deal at the time, and Nastia, and I occasionally walked it. Up until this past summer I’d not walked it in a long time.During the spring, or maybe the summer a storm knocked down some trees and the pathway over the part of the path that goes over the water was damaged, and has been closed. I talked about the first time I walked it with Nastia, and we found out it was closed. We jumped the railing and walked the railroad tracks. Since Elena has her Saturdays free these past three weeks she ahs been invited along on our walks. We start from the parking lot of Rick’s, go to the left entrance of the park and walk toward the playground.
On one walk Elena found a small snapping turtle.
During the walks, a time where quiet talking and a few laughs are exchanged, a few things not planned have happened. On one walk, I fell off the path. Yes, I fell off the path. There is a small lip after you have passed the playground, and are headed toward the dam. I’m walking, and talking, and yes, I know those you can do, those who can’t talk about the fall they take afterwards. The drop off from the path to the gravel edging is maybe an inch at most. My right foot went off the side, and I started to roll my ankle. I quickly shifted my weight to my left leg, and try to right myself. Ten years ago, I might have succeeded with an embarrassing stumble while I regained my footing. As I shifted my weight to my left foot, I felt like I’m taking a deep bow after a great performance, yet the show had just begun. I
might have stutter stepped, but I doubt it. I knew I was going down, the only thing left to do was to try and roll on my shoulder blade, I land on my elbow. I’m down on the ground a few years ago, I’d spring back up, and brush myself off. Now all I wanted to do was get up before anyone tried to help me up. As a man of a certain age, that is no longer a given. I get up reasonably quickly for someone who is 68 years old. My daughters would come to help me up, but I think they haven’t stopped laughing yet. Someone walking in the opposite direction is the first person to ask me if I’m okay. I tell them I’m more embarrassed than anything. I landed on my left arm of all things, considering it started by my right foot slipping on the edge of the tar. It hurts to move it, and I flex it to be sure it’s not broken. While flexing it I have a pain running up my forearm. Up until the last few years I would have thought boy was I stupid for falling, and boy does this hurt. Now, being older, I think, did I break or fracture anything, the reason behind my flexing the arm, and am I having a heart attack, the pain running up my forearm doesn’t make it to the shoulder, so I'm okay. My caring daughters make jokes about bobble wrapping me, and not allowing me to walk alone. Sounds like the jokes I made when my mother fell a year or so ago. They were funnier last year.
We finish the walk, like all of the rest by jumping off the trail where a tree has crushed the fence. I act like I’m fifteen going on 96 as I climb up the tree. We walk the tracks looking back every few minutes to check if anything is gaining on us, despite the warning from Satchel Page. He is famous in baseball for saying, “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you” He’s got a bunch of sayings worth living life by,
"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." – His signature reflection on his long baseball career. [1]
"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you was?" – A philosophical take on living without age-related limits. [1]
"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching." – A popular piece of advice on approaching life with freedom and passion. [1]
"Sometimes I sit and think and other times I just sit." – A classic, humorous remark. [1]
"Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don't move." – His straightforward philosophy for pitching. [1]
"Avoid fried meats, which angry up the blood." – One of his humorous rules for staying young
