Person in the Pink Hat
By Randy McIntosh
I try to vary my daily jogging route as much as possible, but since I usually have the same start and end point, it’s inevitable that I will pass by some of the same streets. There’s one place that I pass frequently, “Oakwood Espresso”, that is a favourite gathering spot for the neighbourhood. It’s gotten a little less well-attended during the pandemic, but I have often seen a small group of runners there after they complete their route. One person in particular wears a pink running hat, which stands out from the rest of the group.
I can’t really count the number of times I’ve jogged past the shop and seen the pink running hat. It got to the point where I’d wave and they’d wave back, acknowledging the familiarity.
With the restrictions over the last few months in place, we’re all facing social isolation, which we all respond to differently. After about 3 weeks of the pandemic restrictions, I made myself a little promise that even if I couldn’t talk to people face to face, I would at least say hello.
I honestly don’t like to stop to chat when I am out jogging. I get into a rhythm (a very slow rhythm, hence “jogging” rather than “running”) that’s physically and mentally cleansing. But one day I decided that I would stop and introduce myself to the person in the pink hat. We’d seen each other now over many months, and now many weeks into the pandemic I felt I needed to change my old habits.
It was a great, and brief, conversation.
“I’ve seen you here so many times, that I figured I’d introduce myself.” I began.
A big smile came from beneath the rim of the pink hat, followed by an awkward moment where we tried to negotiate between resisting a hand shake and finding another form of greeting.
We opted for an elbow touch, and continued to talk at an appropriate distance.
We asked each other: “How are you doing? How are you handling things?” We shared stories about our favourite running routes and about the people that we both knew in the neighbourhood, and their backstories. We both said it was important to take the time to try to connect with people when you can.
I could have stayed longer — the connection was made. We both smiled and wished each other a great day.
We see each other with the same frequency, but the hand wave from the street has a deeper meaning now. I feel a little happier each day when I see the person in the pink running cap. I hope you get to meet them.
