The Nice Thing About Strangers
Creative Non-Fiction Short Stories. :) Travel, Oldsters, Love, and Compassion.
Health and Wellness
The old man winks at a woman on a stationary bike, the kind where one can sit upright with the pedals before them. He is pushing seventy, or pulling eighty. He follows the directions of a twenty-something trainer toting a yoga ball. Our senior does vague squats, slight lunges, and ends with his back to the wall as though sitting in an invisible chair. Low reps. He keeps glancing at the woman on the bike.
Her hair is gray and pulled into a bun at the top of her head. She gazes at the televisions above her. One set features a cooking program that she has more than once scoffed over, making hand gestures of disbelief. After the sly man’s session is done, he passes her one more time, smiling in her direction. He goes to the lockers and returns with a portable oxygen machine. Not just any oxygen machine–but hers. He helps her to stand, he gives her some of his water. They chit-chat. She fills him in on the unbelievably decadent cooking show. They wipe sweat from their foreheads discreetly before he leads her slowly and supportively to their car.
–Colorado.
The Nice Thing About Strangers 
A gentle story, beautifully told….I love the way you write about small observed moments.
Thank you, Sue! I’ve had remarkable luck. When I need a post, one appears! 🙂
I agree with Sue. Beautifully done!
Thank you, Hugh! The comments are a nice motivation for me.
What a lovely story
Love your stories.
Makes me think of this-morning – or last Thursday.
[grin]
🙂