Member-only story
Runners and Walkers
A morning routine shattered
They were runners. Every morning Patty would see them through her window running past her house. There were nine of them, each with ear buds in their ears. There were three men and six women. No matter the weather they ran past her house every single day around 7:30.
Then the walkers came closer to 8:00. There were just two of them; an older couple. They, too, had ear buds in their ears. The man always had weights in his hands. They did not walk casually but rather with exaggerated movements, their eyes always focused forward, oblivious to everything around them save for an invisible goal up ahead.
Patty could set her clocks by the runners and walkers. She had been watching them every morning for so long that she had all their faces memorized. With the runners there was one particular man and woman couple who were always out in front of the rest. The two walkers always wore matching clothes.
In spring, winter and fall Patty would watch the runners and walkers through her large living room window. In summer she would watch them go by while sitting on her porch sipping her tea and eating her muffins. Never had any of those runners or walkers turned to notice her watching them.
One Tuesday late in June Patty brought her tea and muffins out to the porch at the same…
