I Hear You...

Just back from a run. It's grey and a bit wet here today but far more fair than the forecast, which was quite dire, threatening heavy rain, thunderstorms and high winds. It didn't look all that bad from my window, so after coffee, I suited up and headed out. I'm not crazy about running on the weekends because everyone and their dog (literally) is usually out too but the grey skies and aforementioned promise of a tempest found the river path fairly unpopulated. It started to clear as I neared the end, coming back through the park toward the Boat Basin and you could see more folks had ventured out. As I came to a stairway leading back toward the pier, a woman with two small children was in front of me, holding the girl's hand, with her little boy dawdling a bit behind. They were taking up the entire width, so I backed off just as the little guy tumbled. The mom was scolding him lightly, as his bottle of blue Gatorade rolled further down the steps. "That wouldn't have happened," she said "if you'd listened to me. I told you to stop pouting." I stepped around them and retrieved the little guy's Gatorade, handing it back to him, his eyes wide and still teary, as the mom thanked me. "Here ya go, champ", I said. "Hang in there. It only hurts a little while". I have no idea where that came from. Ever hopeful, eh? On second thought, I know exactly where it came from. Thank you, little sweetheart.