Bet

I made a bet with myself for myself, not against myself. It’s all kinda stupid. I was inspired by this guy https://craigmod.com/ to simply walk around. It’s something I’ve forgotten about a bit because it’s so simple, yet can easily be so foreign.

So tell you about the bet, right? It’s quite stupid — it has to do with baseball. So I was thinking about taking a walk… yes, that lazy. Just thinking about it — should I go today? No, I tried my best to talk myself out of it and then I’m watching the Dodgers in the morning here in Osaka on TV which started at 5am. I says to myself… if Ohtani hits a home run on his final AB, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna see how far I can get. I set my goal for half way to Nara (yeah, that place with the deers that bow when you bow to them, for food mind you). I knew it wasn’t going to make it there but base on the previous nights research, I figured I could walk to the foot hills and gauge it — could I make it all the way another time? It’s some odd 36km all the way there — but let’s not get ahead of myself — I haven’t walked much like I used to, and even less running — which yes, I face it I’m getting older and more unhealthy by the month in certain ways and more happy and grateful on other days — therein lies the dichotomy. Anyways, apologies for my digression.

He did it. He hit that fucking home run. I felt so emotional in that moment — I called it. I have the receipts — check it, ask my pops. I was already about 75% prepared to at least get out the door so I’d try to limit my excuses for not getting out the door. I had a coffee, a smoke and a shit after the sweep of the Mets which was funnily eventful — look up Jorge Lopez - not the comedian tho — this guy might just be funnier than that George — if you look it up, you’ll see why.

Next, it was a shower, pack the little shit I was taking — a backpack “filled” with a thin coat, some socks, a battery for my phone, a bottle of water, a couple of totems and my wallet — anything else I’d get on my way.

Ok let’s go!

So I was on my way and it was completely uneventful, just a beautiful walk in a direction I’ve never taken to a place I’ve never been — just a walk. Yet at times, numerous times, I felt like I’d been there before, seen those colors, saw that car, and smelled that smell — except for the architecture was completely something I could never imagine — new and old right next to each other.  By the time I arrived home I’d walked 17.7KM (17 is my lucky number). I’d been walking since 9:30am and it was now 2:30pm.

It was remarkable but uneventful to which I’m grateful and the Dodgers won.