Theresa’s Take – Take 11 “Nobody Exercises in this Neighborhood”

A couple of weeks ago I took advantage of a rare occurrence – great weather in Rochester in the month of May.  I put on my workout gear, laced up my sneakers and hit the pavement. I do a combination power walk/jog throughout my northeast neighborhood some evenings. Too often the gift of gab interferes with my workout, and I stop to chat with neighbors, friends and strangers. I give health and wellness advice – wanted or unwanted. Many times people stop me, to encourage me to keep up the good work.

On this sun shiny evening, I was getting it in. I had picked up some speed was finally in the fat burning zone. I jogged past a young man no more than 10 years of age. He yelled out to me, “Hey lady, are you on probation?” I was puzzled by this question, as I couldn’t think of why he would ask me such a thing. I gave myself a once-over to see if anything in my appearance seemed alarming or probation-ish.  Finally it hit me, the kid thought I was running from the police.

As I continued with my workout, I came across some friends of my late father. I stopped to chat again. As we were reminiscing, another man joined in the conversation, alerting everyone that I was the police. Despite my denial of a career in law enforcement he insistently stated, “Don’t be fooled by her looks. She is the police. I’m telling you, she is the police because don’t nobody exercise in this neighborhood!”

In 1971 Marvin Gaye released the song “What’s Going On.” This social commentary ballot inspired by the Vietnam War included the lyrics,

“Mother, mother there’s too many of you crying,

Brother, brother, brother there’s far too many of us dying,

We’ve got to find a way to bring some understanding here today.

Come on talk to me, so you can see what’s going on.”

Forty years later Americans cannot wave the flag of victory on our deadliest war ever, OBESITY. The ill effects of poor eating habits and lack of exercise have mothers still crying and brothers still dying. What’s going on in the streets Rochester that exercise has become so foreign that yours truly is thought to be on probation, and accused of being the police for simply power walking and jogging? If nobody is exercising in your neighborhood, Ladies, Gents and Janet Jackson wannabes, will you?