A Day Well Spent

Jean squinted against the sun as she made the final descent on the westward trail. The last time she checked her watch it was 11 hours and 56 minutes since she’d stepped out of the vehicle at the top of the mountain while whispers of dawn stretched out over the still-frozen mountain tops.

“I love you,” she said, giving John a quick kiss on his unshaven check. Opened the back door as quietly as possible to let RICE escape and whisper a kiss onto Ella’s head.

Back then the day was fresh with possibilities, and every single one of them promised her a much-needed escape. The retriever was there for company, but mostly to set John’s nerves at ease. In his mind nothing bad could happen so long as RICE stayed by her side.

It’s not that Jean disagreed, but more that she was glad that RICE was the compromise they’d made. John was fit, but it was she who made her way month after month in the pre-dawn light while Jean clawed her way back to the surface of fitness. RICE had earned this trip. After all, the dog was named after the running essentials. Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. There was nothing she couldn’t do.

The golden glare of the sinking sun made Jean wish for sunglasses, which she’d forgotten on her nightstand. It’s hard to remember something like that at 3:00 in the morning when every inch of your body is vibrating with anticipation.

She shot up like a rocket when her alarm sounded, ready for this promise. It was more than just waking up. It was like coming out of a long sleep. She was greeting herself, new and old. She couldn’t wait to get started.

But that was so long ago. Now she was so tired she thought she might collapse, and there was still a bit to go.

“You got this, RICE?” She huffed between rhythmic steps in her downward shuffle.

The panting locomotive at her side turned her head just enough to acknowledge the question before resuming her nose-first exploration of the trail. No worries there. Somehow RICE was in better condition than she was. No fair. RICE got to take long naps in the sunshine while Jean cleaned up spilled milk and soothed tantrums about the next Zoom meeting.

“Good girl,” Jean said, reaching down to brush her fingers across the space between floppy golden ears. It was hard to hold those things against a creature that would join her willingly on a trek like this.

From the day she came home it seemed as though RICE had unending endurance. At 16 weeks old the trainer admonished that RICE shouldn’t do more than a mile’s walk. So Jean had done her run solo in the morning, then headed out with Ella and the pup. The problem was, when they’re return home RICE and Ella would run circles around her. It was only after she quit following the expert’s recommendations and let RICE tag along on those 5:00 AM slogs that the puppy had any semblance of calm and manners to speak of.

In the subsequent years nothing had changed and today was proof of it. While Jean had spent the last 10 miles outside of her own body, wondering how she would ever finish, RICE just kept on trotting, happily stopping to lap up water when Jean provided it before moving on. It was a miracle of nature—the way that she could spend so much energy, but still have so much more.

Damn dog! Jean smiled. It was a grimace, but a happy one.

With the end finally in reach—just on the other side of the river crossing where mountains turned to hills and the valley stretched out—Jean was returning to a state of awareness that allowed her to consider RICE’s unending interest in the world around her.

At dawn, when she’d started the run, she’d considered the task an exercise in solitude. She’d thought she’d needed the escape—from the constant crowding of little hands, from the spills and messes and persistent ding of the outside world—from herself.

Now, after hours of being alone—of sinking deep into the slush of receding snow and burning up in the noontime radiation, she craved something else. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine the finish. She thought she might melt into the ground the second her legs stopped moving. They would have to use a shovel to scoop her from the ground, then nurse her back to life with piles of tacos and decanters of coffee. She was certain she would need loads of care to bring her back.

Jean held that image of such tender care in her mind while she gritted out the last half mile. Maybe pizza would be in order. Was it too much to ask for tacos and pizza? She was sure it wasn’t. And maybe beer instead of coffee. Today anyway. The coffee could start intravenously tomorrow morning.

The finish met her as a gentle breeze. It brushed across the grasses making the meadow dance. She stopped where the trail disappeared into the field, overtaken by the new spring growth. The flowers were in full bloom. In the golden light of the sinking sun, as the clouds streaked in fading tones of pink and orange, the spots of yellow and purple glowed. The view took her breath away.

Wiping sweat from her brow, she let out a sigh of relief. She made it.

To her surprise, she didn’t melt. With each passing breath, as her system wound down from exertion, the scents became more apparent—sweet grass, damp earth and the complex esters of blooms, all touched by an odor that could only be described as sunshine. Thoughts of tacos and melty cheese faded into the background.

Instead, she took in the aromas as they came to her. Absently, as if the recognition of it came from out of body, she was aware that RICE was wandering off, nose to the ground, in search of something that was likely much more related to flowers than pizza crust. Jean thought of what it must be like for the dog. She was likewise spent from the effort of the day, but unlike Jean, RICE appeared to be bolstered by the experience. Where Jean needed a moment to come back to herself, RICE was already there, ready for her nose to take her where the smells beckoned. (Although, she expected that RICE was just as keen to have a nice dinner as she was.)

Jean closed her eyes and inhaled. She could taste spring. Microscopic particles of pollen settled in the back of her throat. The air was quiet now in the lull between the activity midday and twilight. Though rapidly cooling it held whispers of bees buzzing frantically between buds, of rabbits munching fresh greens and beetles scurrying after tidbits of decay, depositing eggs.  She realized that, instead of being spent from the effort, she too was buzzing with the energy of the day well spent. Like RICE.

Suddenly, as if pulled by invisible strings, RICE broke away from her olfactory sojourn and sprinted toward her. Jean marveled that the old girl still had the energy to sprint, noting that while she was still standing, her legs felt like jelly. RICE stopped just long enough to wet the tips of Jean’s fingers with a lolling pink tongue before taking off across the field. She stopped long enough to turn her head back and give a persuasive bark.

Jean smirked, then looked beyond RICE to see two figures making there way through the field. RICE greeted them like long lost relatives. Where were you! You were gone all day and I had NO idea how to find you, she seemed to say. It was a display of exuberance that only a dog could put on after so many miles.

But then, as the smaller of the figures broke away from the dog and parted the field of flowers to rush toward her, Jean felt herself spring to life.

“There’s my sweet girl!”

“Mommy!” Ella exclaimed, leaping into Jean’s arms. She was all limbs and torso, too big to be carried, but too little to not miss her mother desperately.

Jean held her with a strength that been impossible only moments before. Hoisting her onto a sweaty hip, she made her way toward the other figure.

“Ella, don’t make your mommy carry you, she’s got to be dog-tired,” John said.

“RICE isn’t tired at all,” Ella said, matter of factly, as she watched the dog jumping merrily at the family’s feet, happy with the reunion.

“And Mommy isn’t either,” Jean said, leaning in to give her husband a kiss.

“How was your run? Did it do the trick?” He asked, scooping Ella into his arms and plopping her to the ground.

“Sort of,” she said, joining her arm with his and taking Ella’s hand into her own. She wanted to explain the effect the rolling miles had on her but couldn’t find the right words. RICE looped circles around them, barking merrily and making Ella giggle.

“Coming back to you guys sure did,” she said.

John squeezed her arm. Jean leaned into him, not needing the support but happy to have it. They moved through the dancing flowers toward the car. Back to reality. Jean looked back, trying to engrain the flowers into her memory. It might be a while before she had what it takes for another day like today.

“How about pizza?” John asked when she turned back toward him.

“Tacos!” Ella screamed.

“How about both?” Jean suggested.

RICE barked in agreement.