An All American Love Story
Ch. Six: Jogging for the Soul
Romano's alarm went off at six AM. "Ahhmmm." He grumbled as he reached to turn it off. He hated it when he forgot to turn off his alarm at night on the days he was off. He rolled on his side and tried to go back to the dream he was disturbed from, his dream of Elizabeth. Half an hour later, not being able to fall back to sleep, he got out of bed. He walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. The air in his house was cold on his arms. After starting the coffee machine he made his way into the computer room, turning the lights on in the house as he went. He sat down with a thud in the chair. Knowing he probably didn't have any email he set his head on the desk in front of him. Normally waking up at six wouldn't leave him this tired, however he had gotten home later then usual the previous night. Thinking on it some more he began to smile as his brain woke up. He turned on his computer and clicked open his schedule book for the day. Nothing planned except for his date with Elizabeth that he proudly entered into the text. He heard the coffee machine's beep signify that it was done working. After re-entering the kitchen again he stared at the pot of black coffee. "I've got to do something to wake up." He said to himself. Looking around for something to do his eyes passed over his old pair of running shoes. He hadn't really ran since his accident, which made him angry because it used to be one of his favorite things to do. Sure he jogged every other morning on his treadmill upstairs, but he hadn't been outside running, where real people could see him.
Within ten minutes Romano had brushed his teeth, dawned a pair of blue Addis workout pants, and his favorite long sleeved tee shirt. He didn't bother with his prosthetic, nobody would be out anyway. After he put on his shoes he was out. The cold wind took the breath out of him as he stepped outside. It was still half dark and the streetlights were still on. He started down the street. His heart patted at the same beet as his feet. Although the cold air made his chest burn it felt good to be outside again. He ran his usual three-mile loop past the river and back up to his house. That was his favorite part, the river. There were no geese, since it was the middle of winter, but the trees made it just as beautiful. He watched the water glisten as the sun tried to come up. He wiped the sweat from his face as he sped up. He needed to do this more often. He knew that spring was coming soon and that was when people would be out early. "It might be good for me." He thought to himself, "To be out in front of people." As he reached his street again his legs began to shake. He was getting tired and was glad he was almost back. As he rounded the corner he saw a van parked in his driveway. "It couldn't be." he thought as he jogged up further. As he reached his driveway he saw Elizabeth standing at his door. She was taping a note on the window and he could see the bag that hung from his doorknob. He cleared his throat before he spoke. "Elizabeth?" he was still out of breath when he said it. Elizabeth turned, startled at the sound of someone's voice. "What are you doing?" he asked again after he got his breath more under control.
Romano's alarm went off at six AM. "Ahhmmm." He grumbled as he reached to turn it off. He hated it when he forgot to turn off his alarm at night on the days he was off. He rolled on his side and tried to go back to the dream he was disturbed from, his dream of Elizabeth. Half an hour later, not being able to fall back to sleep, he got out of bed. He walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. The air in his house was cold on his arms. After starting the coffee machine he made his way into the computer room, turning the lights on in the house as he went. He sat down with a thud in the chair. Knowing he probably didn't have any email he set his head on the desk in front of him. Normally waking up at six wouldn't leave him this tired, however he had gotten home later then usual the previous night. Thinking on it some more he began to smile as his brain woke up. He turned on his computer and clicked open his schedule book for the day. Nothing planned except for his date with Elizabeth that he proudly entered into the text. He heard the coffee machine's beep signify that it was done working. After re-entering the kitchen again he stared at the pot of black coffee. "I've got to do something to wake up." He said to himself. Looking around for something to do his eyes passed over his old pair of running shoes. He hadn't really ran since his accident, which made him angry because it used to be one of his favorite things to do. Sure he jogged every other morning on his treadmill upstairs, but he hadn't been outside running, where real people could see him.
Within ten minutes Romano had brushed his teeth, dawned a pair of blue Addis workout pants, and his favorite long sleeved tee shirt. He didn't bother with his prosthetic, nobody would be out anyway. After he put on his shoes he was out. The cold wind took the breath out of him as he stepped outside. It was still half dark and the streetlights were still on. He started down the street. His heart patted at the same beet as his feet. Although the cold air made his chest burn it felt good to be outside again. He ran his usual three-mile loop past the river and back up to his house. That was his favorite part, the river. There were no geese, since it was the middle of winter, but the trees made it just as beautiful. He watched the water glisten as the sun tried to come up. He wiped the sweat from his face as he sped up. He needed to do this more often. He knew that spring was coming soon and that was when people would be out early. "It might be good for me." He thought to himself, "To be out in front of people." As he reached his street again his legs began to shake. He was getting tired and was glad he was almost back. As he rounded the corner he saw a van parked in his driveway. "It couldn't be." he thought as he jogged up further. As he reached his driveway he saw Elizabeth standing at his door. She was taping a note on the window and he could see the bag that hung from his doorknob. He cleared his throat before he spoke. "Elizabeth?" he was still out of breath when he said it. Elizabeth turned, startled at the sound of someone's voice. "What are you doing?" he asked again after he got his breath more under control.