It is 36 today and I just turned
71. I finally left off sport shorts
and put on a pair of blue jeans,
left off the running shoes and put
on thick socks and hiking boots,
left off the polyester short sleeve
running shirt and polyester pullover,
put on a long sleeve cotton shirt
with a button down collar, put on a
wool, crewneck sweater and down
jacket. I don’t need the knee brace
for simple walking around but after
the summer and fall in the brace and
running clothes while the knee heals,
all these winter clothes make me feel
claustrophobic like I’m in a wearable
iron lung. I keep tugging at the collar
of my shirt and sweater. I’m starting
to dream about Phoenix in January,
running clothes, running shoes and
actual jogging on the trails along the
base of Piestewa Peak. The physician
says I should wear the brace and use
hiking sticks for jogging. “It’s just
precautionary,” he says. “Good idea,
doc,” I say. Gladly, I think. I really
used to like snow skiing.