A Bench for Two Different Paces

Martin and Sal had walked together every Wednesday since leaving their jobs. Recently, Sal had begun moving more slowly. Martin did not notice at first and continued talking while several steps ahead. Sal spent most of each walk trying to catch up rather than enjoying the conversation.

One morning, Sal said she would not join him that week. Martin asked if she was ill. She explained that she was simply tired of feeling late during a walk with no appointment at the end. Martin felt embarrassed. He had treated their route like a task to complete.

They agreed to try a shorter path through the square. Martin deliberately slowed down, but Sal found his constant questions about the pace almost as tiring as the old walks. She finally suggested choosing a bench as their destination. They could walk there however they liked, then sit together.

The new plan worked. Sometimes they arrived together; sometimes Martin reached the bench first and watched the pigeons. Sal joined him without apologising. One Wednesday, she brought a newspaper puzzle, and they stayed until the church clock rang twice. They still called it their weekly walk, although the sitting now lasted longer than the moving. Neither felt that the friendship had become smaller because the route had.