May 23rd, 2019 By Christopher Smith

One, I repeat ONE, showed up 3 minutes late and arrived alone in the dark and muggy gloom

Warm-Up – No time – I was already late and a little uneasy

The THANG:

Mosey at a quick pace to try to catch all my brothers.

Started heading towards the mall in hopes I could follow the trail of Anvil’s sweat or Indy’s little pee puddles when he gets too excited.  Alas, no trail was found as both fartsacked today.

Ran to the mall only to be greeted by the sounds of my own footsteps and heartbeat.

No worries – Run to the parking deck because I think I hear something.  The closer I get the more apparent my prediction may be incorrect becomes, but I take the stairs anyway.  I run to the top to catch only a glimpse of a half-smoked cigarette and faint smell of B.O.

Still not worried – I know LMU – he headed to Beverly Hills – so I fly!  It’s hard to hear “car” when you run alone so I knew I would have to be on my game.  Dodged a few and make it across only to be startled by barking dogs as I hit the neighborhood.  Undeterred, my brothers would wait for me.  I ran faster, picturing the excitement and high-fives I would received upon arrival and how impressed they would be at my pace.  My feet barely touched the ground as I headed to the bottom of the hilll, ready to join my brothers-in-arms.  I arrived, once again alone!

Literally taking one breath to stop and glance, I head back in search of all I know.  I run all the way back and know I will find my brothers still!  At this point, I was probably on a 6-7 min. pace.  I honestly don’t know b/c I have never actually run that fast but I was practically flying.  I run all the way back and think about the hill!  It’s the one place I didn’t look.

I run up by the hospital, just in case they are around the parking deck by now.  They were not.  I still held out hope.  I don’t know why, but I did.  Like a fat kid who wore “husky” jeans because they were told they were stylish and not because they were fat, I glimmer of hope existed.

I ran to the hill and could only hear the echo of the emptiness and thud of disappointment as I realized that alone, I would stay.

I ran back to the AO because I truly had lost all track of time.  If it had been 6:15 at night, I would not have known.  I ran to the rock pile to drown my sorrow in sheer muscle shredding.  I picked the biggest I could find.  My rock would be my only companion.

20 curls, 20 skull crushers, 20 Press, 20 WWII

Mosey to Pull-Up bars – 10 pull-ups (or maybe 8, my tears clouded my counting) and 25 Mercs

Mosey back to my rock friend and repeat

And then the light shone through…

I’m not sure what happened next b/c I caught a Fresh Cut out of the corner of my eye.  The rest is sheer jubilation and exaltation as sorrow turned to joy and mourning to dancing.

Moleskin:

I thought LMU and I were boys.  I thought we were connected.  I mean sure, he’s not as funny as Mayweather, as suave as Spud, as chiseled as BCR, as fast as Fresh Cut, as brilliant as Skinner, as complete as Pvt. Ryan, as good a b-ball player as Finish Line, as resourceful as Scout, or as awesome as any of us, but I really thought we had a connection.  I was wrong.  The 2nd parking deck, the SECOND DECK!  Really?  Who, but EL AB, ever goes to the 2nd deck!

I did meet some cool FNG squirrels, one opossum, a couple robins, one crow, an albino skunk (don’t ask), and construction worker named Juan ,so if I ever decide to Q on my own again, I’ll make sure to post their F3 names.

Don’t ever take a moment to poop in the morning.  Ever.  Trust me.

Praising Jesus for friends and laugher,

Mighty Mouse

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