Gait analysis…

They were back on the rocks:

Torak with his hands bound behind him,

his captors prowling up and down…

They no longer wore the strips of hide across their eyes,

but it wasn’t an improvement…

He could see the violence in them;

their fingers flexing on the hilts of their knives…

Strange knives,

with hilts made of something that was neither wood,

antler nor bone…

The tall boy who’d caught him on the rocks came close…

He had a clever,

watchful face,

and eyes as cold as blue flint…

“You shouldn’t have run,” he said quietly…

“That’s what a coward does…”

— in Spirit Walker by Michelle Paver

After much contemplation,

and a walk up a steep hill,

I’ve added a few new items to my Man checklist…

I do like shiny tires,

for special occasions,

but what really gets my attention is a well-stocked tackle box,

and la piece de la resistance,

OMG,

the FIRST AID Kit…

For good reason,

I’m phobic about hospitals…

So what I want to know,

is how prepared a man is for an emergency…

Does he carry the national name brand of supplies,

or something with greater interest???

Like if we’re trail riding,

or hammering an outdoor shower together,

and I experience abrasion,

or some blistering,

does the care I’m about to receive,

revolve around beige,

Shrek and Donkey,

or Hello Kitty,

coverage,

and protection???

How someone shows up in this particular department says a lot…

It’s the difference between meeting for coffee,

and a full-on gallop across an open field…

If you can’t roll out bandages like it’s a competition,

you can’t expect a crazy chick to notice you,

or keep her attention for the minimum number,

of ten hours,

let alone five,

or more years…

And that’s all I have to say,

right now,

because I have yard work to do,

and a bag of  Doritos,

to polish off…

Hand me another one boys...