Kankles- the draft horse.

Noodles - the thoroughbred

Conversations and thoughts. 

Monday mornings thought Kankles, is a  great start to the week. 

The small hut at the base of the stairs swarmed with mosquitos and runners. The runners were stretching their torsos getting ready to race up the stairs and around the track.

Kankles looked at them, it was 7am and these young gazelles were ready to leap into action. Kankles knew they would pass her several times as they powered around on their thin legs and slim bodies.

Noodles was late and the mozzies were biting. 

Looking up the stairs as one young thing after another leaped two stairs at time. Kankles watched Noodles walking down. On her back was a large blue backpack. The kind that allows you to take your survival needs on your shoulders. 

Noodles explained that her training regime meant she would need to care 12 kilo's for her four day sojourn in Tassie. However, today she carried five kilos.

Kankles pocketed her handkerchief and bottle in hand began to walk up the stairs. 

"The beauty of a a walking buddy is the that it makes the time go much faster," said Noodles. 

Clinging to the railing Kankles wheezed in agreement. It was without doubt one of the more humid mornings to walk in. The air seemed thick and warm. By the second level Kankles was beginning to melt. She looked back at Noodles. Kankles felt a surge of pure joy. Noodles was struggling an breathing hard.

Its not a competition thought Kankles. Yet somehow it had become one. Two lithe young things bounded up the stairs, passing on the right.

At the top of the stairs the walk straightened out into a flatter, kinder track. Now the buddies had a chance to talk. They chattered like two birds. Laughing, joking, about family, the world and other stuff that was totally beyond their control yet somehow still their responsibility to comment on.

The topic of selfishness held their interest. After lifetimes of giving the two were now prepared to do some taking. No more the doormat, no more the solver of problems. They were doing for themselves.

A large man steamrolled towards them. His face a dangerous shade of red. He was rotund, as wide as he was tall. Black hairs covered his body. He was slick with sweat. His breathing roared in and out. Clearly he was making an extraordinary effort to look like he was running towards fitness and discarding obesity in a single round of the circuit.

Kankles and Noodles stood aside to allow the freight train to steam past. They watched him as he continued heaving his overloaded frame along the path.

"My goodness, that man looks like a heart attack about to happen," said Noodles.

"Well if he does have one I hope it happens a long way from us," said Kankles.

"Would you not think to follow him just in case he collapses?"

Kankles looked long and hard at Noodles, knowing that her friend listened to her better angels😇.

"No way, I have things to do, places to go. I can't have my day ruined by someone having a heart attack. First he will collapse, you will want to do CPR, you will give me orders and I will be involved. Then someone will call the Ambo's and the police. Next comes statements. We will spend an hour at the police station while some fourteen year old taps out our version of events. I will spend another half hour correcting their spelling. Don't even get me started on a policeman's use of the apostrophe".

"You're joking," said Noodles.

"No, doing the right thing disappeared with the coming of the millennials. Its all about me. I stop for no-one".

Kankles smiled and they both laughed. 

Kankles continued to laugh as a small voice in side her head whispered, "she really has no idea who you are, does she?"👿