My new roommate
A short story
A
It was in a moment of thoughtlessness that I allowed her to move in.
“What can we do together?” I asked, leaning on the door, arms folding.
“We can run 5K.”
How lovely! I immediately warmed up to her. You see, I’ve loved many things in life, but running is never one of them. In fact, it would have ranked very very high in the few things I dislike.
It must have been the way she phrased it: suddenly “5K”, a not so unfamiliar term, crystallized in my consciousness, demanding a run for the sake of it. Okay.
B
The first 5K was a smashing success.
It was a Sunday morning in early spring. We checked the google map, drew the running route in mind and followed it methodically. And slowly. When the run ended, euphoria, not exhaustion, flooded me. Runner’s high? Aha! I embraced her and praised her for having brought such novelty to my life. I also thought that was the end of it.
C
Three days later. Evening. I turned on the stove to cook my favorite dish after a long work day: noodles. Everyone has a comfort food. Mine since childhood has always been noodles. Chinese noodles, lots of veggies, lots of spice and an egg. What could beat a cheerful meal and a peaceful night?
She showed up in the kitchen, turned off the stove and said “good time to run.”
“You must be kidding me!” I screamed in silence, shocked beyond reason.
She didn’t hear me and shoved the shoes to my feet. Off we ran, into the darkening sky. “Activity started.” I saw she now had her iphone on and was recording.
In this way, my new roommate settled in and was convinced that I would want what she wanted: 5K, twice a week; then every other day. I didn’t even know her existence days ago.
D
“This is so NOT me,” I brooded over the unexpected intrusion. What’s the point of long-distance running? I don’t care about exercises. I don’t need lose weight (gaining a couple would be nice). I don’t have anything to prove or disprove. How could one sustain such a strenuous activity without a tangible motivation?
And running is such a fad now, incentive enough to quit, not to jump in!
She was obliviously to this, of course. Instead, she showed me one “record” after another: the fastest speed, the longest distance, the most calories burned.... We were so good that we were breaking records every time we got out of the door.
But I must break out of this March madness. Or shall I say running madness? That would be redundant.
E
Opportunities came promptly.
One mile into the run one day, a sharp pain started from just below the right ribs and then spread to the whole belly. I gave her a knowing glance: stop now. But she merely slowed down and sped up again the moment the pain relented a little, as a result of the slowing down. This way, we soldiered on till the end. The end of 5K.
One day later, with another “recording breaking pace” we were so winded that I wouldn’t have crawled if left by myself. Yet we again completed the whole 5K. Is 5K an arbitrary distance or a moral creed?
I suspected addiction, but not the kinds I’m familiar with, like internet addiction or something. It’s certainly not dopamine; is it endorphine? Or adrenaline? Anyway, I did some research and showed her the scholarly verdict - exercise addiction:
- Tolerance: increasing the amount of exercise in order to feel the desired effect, be it a” buzz” or sense of accomplishment; (told you, we have been running faster, longer and more frequently)
- Lack of control: unsuccessful at attempts to reduce exercise level or cease exercising for a certain period of time; (because I’m the only one trying)
- Reduction in other activities: as a direct result of exercise social, occupational, and/or recreational activities occur less often or are stopped; (well, we haven’t been doing much else; that thin sci-fi fiction has been renewed twice; the kindle Neapolitan novel is stalled at 1%)
- Continuance: continuing to exercise despite knowing that this activity is creating or exacerbating physical, psychological, and/or interpersonal problems. (enough said!)
She didn’t know what I was talking about, nor did she show the slightest interest. I realized she was a hopeless simpleton, a singular drive: to run.
F
While not reading much, I did flip through a few writings about running. The one which caught my attention was about what runners think while running very long distances alone. I sought to find it out myself.
We were running along a fabulous pond. It was a cool evening after storms. She as usual wore a most serious expression, as if deep in thought. I called her attention to the glowing clouds over the setting sun and the glittering reflection in the water. Only in New England could there be such a glorious sight. She followed my waving arms but registered nothing. Then she looked down at her iphone and frowned. Hmm, 9:45, instead of 9:25.
As far as I could tell, her deep thought was occupied by two “too”s: too slow or too fast. Otherwise, she was busy counting: cha-cha-bre-ath, cha-cha-bre-ath. “Cha-cha” is the sound of our steps on the sandy paveway.
Then I saw a family walk up: mom, dad and seven goslings! I shook her out of her daze, yet her gaze was vacant. And we breezed away. The geese might as well be rocks, with this signature over them: make way for runners.
G
It’s been a long while since I had sat down with leisure. How familiar and pleasant. How good old time-ish! After this strange two months, the running has become mundane. The daily screeching of “records” has quieted down. It’s about time to break up, to say goodbye to her for good.
 |
| The badge of honor |
The door was slammed open. She rushed in, in a burning red shirt, which says: “JP Morgan corporate race”.
“First official 5K!”
The bib didn’t even have the correct name: we would substitute for someone who dropped out.
I have no answer to such senseless act. I only wish I could wipe that goofy glee off her face.
H
(You said "new roommate", does that mean you had an old roommate before?)
Of course, of course. Quite a few actually. We are still all here. Reading science papers about running?! That's nerdy -- I wouldn't do that! Who let her in? The impulsive lady! She never hesitates and always regrets....
It's just that we have been living together forever, putting up with one another forever, we forget. And talk like one....Now that you've mentioned, we used to fight a lot, too, less absurd, but far more fierce. Once I even....Oh right, let's not scratch open old wounds....
But who is she? How did she show up so suddenly? Where had she been hiding all these years? Will there be others? The house is getting a little craz....disorderly.
Well, enough chatting. Got to go. See you after 10K!
I
It's been an exhausting summer at work. Everyone was irritated; no one agreed with anyone. Today was particularly brutal, running around like mad for useless meetings. At dinner, I was dis-spirited and she gave me a cautious glance now and then.
Then, I surprised myself and blurted out: "I have to take my mind off the nonsense. Let's go running!"
She brightened up and disappeared.
She re-emerged with a pretty running shorts to match another freebie shirt we got for our "official 5K”. It was colored like a blue night sky over dark shadow. Many trails down there, I’m sure.
We greeted the setting sun over the glittering pond. A pair of visiting swans swam leisurely, among a mob of angry geese. I couldn't say that I totally took in the beauty of the scene, but for the first time I felt a harmonious bond with her and knew, there and then, that we would soon merge into one. Well, for better or for worse.
