THE JOGGING ENTHUSIASTS

There is a very old Chinese couple that just loves to jog around their quiet neighbourhood. They jog, rain or shine, and each morning they can be seen huffing and puffing with the most determined expressions on their faces. At first glance, their weathered yet resilient bodies seem frail and fragile, but once they hit the highway, they turn into flying little gazelles. And it is endearing to watch, as well as somewhat hilarious to see their synchronised movements. 

The two of them seem like twin peas in a pod wearing matching neon tracksuits—a pretty hilarious sight indeed. But most hilarious of all is that at least once a day, these two jumping beans manage to get confused about their preferred running route. Rain or shine, they always mix up the jogging trail with the grocery store trail! And so, every other day, you can see them jogging around the grocery store aisles as if it were their usual path. How excited they get about the fresh produce section, panting and smiling, and quite perplexed at the quizzical glances they receive from the other shoppers. 

You can almost hear them arguing about who’s jogging faster and therefore burning more calories, and quite honestly, that’s what makes me smile the most. This couple’s forgetfulness, combined with their jovial exercise fun, is a real running joke (pun intended) in the neighbourhood. We even cheer them out loud as they finish their accidental grocery loop. 

Their antics, their happy-go-lucky gait mixed with forgetfulness, bring quite a chuckle to the faces of those of us running at our more leisurely pace, me included. 

I just sigh and slow down as I watch them navigate the grocery section, both tempted and yet awed with entirely good feelings that inspire me. I ponder the notion that every action in life can be managed by diligence in one’s craft, no matter how offbeat or quirky.