“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”

Henry David Thoreau

My husband and I began walking three miles every morning back in March 2020. It was a safe way to get out of the house and exercise during the early days of the COVID 19 quarantine. Our sparsely-populated neighborhood with wide sidewalks and wooded areas meant we didn’t have crowds. When we encountered individuals, there was usually a mutual respect for distancing, so we seldom needed masks.

For more than a year now, we have kept up the routine because we enjoy it. And one of the things that pleases us the most, besides the health benefits, are the friendly faces we’ve passed over and over again along the way. They are the intrepid regulars with whom we exchange smiles or waves or sometimes even a few words. They all have distinct characteristics that we’ve come to recognize from a distance, and we’ve given them nicknames known only to the two of us.

The Lady is one of the longest-running regulars since we began. She is older, short, roundish, and sweet-looking. Her pace is slow but steady. Her white hair is always swept back into a bun and she often wears a white visor and comfortable knit pants and tees. Her quiet responses to our greetings have a hint of an accent.

Speedy is another long-timer. She’s a young, slim, and fit blonde woman who always wears colorful leggings as she either speed-walks or cycles. She’s out there rain or shine, always with a smile.

Pole lady is another fit, friendly, blonde woman who has a long stride. She uses two hiking poles and is often listening to her phone ear buds. Sometimes she’s carrying on a conversation in a language we haven’t yet deciphered.

Friendly Couple is an older husband and wife who walk at a good clip. She has dark wavy hair and is short and very bubbly. She always wears leggings and a visor. He wears a running suit, is tall, has a trimmed mustache and likes to make funny comments.

Red Shorts is a slim, tanned, middle-aged guy with a trimmed beard who always gives us a friendly wave and a smile.  He walks at a fast clip, and most days he wears red knee-length shorts. A baseball cap and ear buds top his head, and we sometimes hear snippets of business-like conversations.

Weights is an older guy we often see on the park fields walking (sometimes backwards, sometime kicking a soccer ball as he moves) in high-top sneakers. He wears wrist bands and carries weights in each hand.

Too-long sleeves is a middle-aged guy who wears  a baseball cap, sunglasses, and the same pale green nylon, crewneck shirt every day. The sleeves seem stretched out and cover his hands.

Stephanie (It’s not her real name. She just looks like a girl of that name who grew up with our daughter.) is a tall young woman with very long legs and a peppy walk. She’is very personable and always greets us with a friendly smile and hello. 

Ball cap and ear buds is a young guy who often wears tees with sayings, my favorite one stating “We test on humans.” He always has a friendly smile.

Blue and Red Windbreaker is a gray-haired cyclist who travels at a fast clip. He always wears wrap-around sunglasses and the same nylon jacket, no matter the temperature.

Jimmy Buffett couple is a short, older guy with a spring in his step and a tall, slim wife. With his engaging smile, ball cap and aviator sunglasses, he has that island vibe. 

Grandpa with baby is an older guy who walks at a slow pace pushing a baby carriage. He’s a new face this year. The little girl is usually sleeping. He recently told us she was three months old.

Skinny Guy is another newbie this year who smiles at us and gives a waffling wave that looks like he’s turning a door knob. He’s middle-aged and bearded and always wears dark shorts and tees. We often see him more than once on the park path because he walks fast and does more than one lap.

Crossing Guard, an older guy clad in a yellow neon vest and hat, is stationed at the first corner where we cross the street. We see him if we get there before his 9:30 off-duty time, after the nearby middle school starts. “How you folks doin’ today?” is his common greeting. If we’re running late, he often passes us in his truck and beeps his horn. 

Tall and short were an elderly couple we saw for months but haven’t seen lately. He was very tall and she was quite short. Hopefully they just changed their routine and are okay.

Pony tail guy was a fairly regular cyclist whom we also don’t see any more. He wore over-the-ear headphones and would yell, “hi folks,” as he passed us on his several loops. Maybe he was working from home for awhile and now spends his mornings in an office.  Who knows?

Of course, there’s always someone who doesn’t respond with a smile. Zoned-out man never acknowledges us. He walks slowly with his eyes half-closed and appears to be meditating or listening to music. He also uses a cane and walks a circular route that doesn’t involve crossing any streets, so we’ve started to wonder if he’s legally blind.

Aside from all of these strangers whom we’ve come to recognize and feel a sense of community with, it’s nice that we also meet walking and/or cycling neighbors who know us by name and with whom we can enjoy friendly chats.

All in all, our walks have been windows of freedom amidst the many constrictions imposed by the pandemic.