Thursday, January 11, 2007

Tread on me




I can still recall that palpable excitement when the big clumsy UPS truck rocked up my driveway that cold February morning (yes winters were once cold). Two weeks had passed since I ordered a new state of the art treadmill on supermegatechtreadmill.com and now I was attacking the huge brown box with scissors and knives. I spent half the night assembing all the pieces and at last turned it on in the semi-darkness. The lights came to life blinking and emiting high tech sound effects as I ran my hand over the plastic like a The Price Is Right model might.
The second half of the night was spent reading the manual in 7 languages by the soft bedside lamplight.

By the time morning finally arrived I was more than ready to get started.

My favorite feature was definitely the pre-set program that the machine sets for you that simulates real life situations. After mastering the more tame golf course programs I started checking out the really advanced ones. Clicking down one after another Mt. Everest...New York Marathon...Running with the Bulls at Pamplona...and other enticing programs one suddenly jumped out at me. There in blinking green LED was Davids Day.
Naturally curiosity got the best of me and I stepped on and pressed start.

Slowly it started to move step..step...shuffle...downstairs...quicker....walk to shul...sittng...walking...running to catch.....swaying in train....walking 2 blocks...climbing a flight or two...down again...up...walking to lunch...back up...back down hall.....pace a little...2 blocks...train sway...run....walk up 3 steps....sit....back out to shul...back home....until it finally slowed to a halt.

This was incredible, my entire day was pre-programmed.
And so it was day after day I’d hop on and be propelled through the motions.

Until one day there I was on the train platform when an extraordinarily beautiful voice washed over me singing a hauntingly beautiful song. I was mesmerized, but that didn’t stop the V Train from rumbling through the tunnel. And the treadmill automatically propelled me forward.
But I didn’t want to go and started frantically searching for some sort of STOP button but could not find any. As the perplexed passengers watched me I noticed for the first time that I’m not the only one with this nifty gagdet.
Every other person seemed to be glued to their treadmills like zombies.
That ethereal voice was fading and fading when I reached down, ripped out the power chord and came to a grinding halt as the doors to the train closed and the pack stared out the window at me with a look of indifference and hatred.

The train rumbled out with a fury and I was left all alone in the silence. I followed my ears back to the voice, the music and lost myself in the moment as a homeless man curiously checked out my discarded treadmill in the background.

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20 Comments:

Blogger chav said...

We all have our own little ruts. But boring and predictable as they are, I find stability and security with routine.

[sigh] FINE... So I admit I can't afford a trip to Eretz Yisroel or even Miami.

But at least the guy in Four Corners knows to charge me for a small hazelnut coffee and a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel just by looking at me.

January 11, 2007 10:18 PM  
Blogger the only way i know said...

David, David, David...
How much more STUNNING does writing get????

And I think when your book comes out..there has GOT to be an audio CD that comes with it..
Isn't that a marvelous idea..??
(at least I've never heard of something like it before..)

The post and music was slow..and sped up together as it got to 'David's Day'..
It went so well, it was almost scary! lol

(should I go on..? LOL)
okay - I stop here..with the endless praise..
but must say 'Thanks!' - that was gorgeous

January 12, 2007 8:28 AM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

Chav...
oh..theres nothing wrong with routine..
But within the routine itself..we can just go through the motins..or we can find beauty in every step of the way.
It doesn't have to be trips to Miami..but it can be waiting for the next train to listen t a nice piece of music by a platform musician...
How on earth does that 4 corners know that just by looking at your face?..do you order the same thing every morning?
or does your face just have small hazelnut coffee and a toasted cinnamon raisin bage written all over it?
:-)

towik...
Thanks..I kind of liked the effect of this song too.
:-)

January 12, 2007 9:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice analogy. Deep thinking. So what else is new?

January 12, 2007 9:44 AM  
Blogger anonym00kie said...

what a suprise.. my comment got lost..
wahtever..
youre brilliant
absolutely incredibly amazing

January 12, 2007 10:02 AM  
Blogger southernyid said...

The bulls don't run in Pompano, They run in Pamplona. The only thing running in Pompano is old people to the early-bird specials at their favorite restaurant. :)

January 12, 2007 11:33 AM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

southern...
lol..you know ..when I wrote this..I wasnt online and I could remember the exact name so I wrote Pompano...and left it
so..

January 12, 2007 12:04 PM  
Blogger Bas~Melech said...

Great blog; I really like your writing.
But, this music that everyone's talking about? What do I have to do to get it? I assume it has something to do with the little red x on top of each post?
And I love the photos, too-- did you take them or just find them?

I sometimes feel like this post. Usually not, though-- I'm an unstoppable thinker. There come seasons, though, where I start feeling automated and it takes a real slump to get me to wake up again. From the sound of your writing, I'd guess that you're also not on your treadmill very often. Must have been written in one of those moments. Glad you got unplugged after all...

January 12, 2007 1:55 PM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

itsallgood....
Thanks
things are good...thanks for asking

m00ks...
thanks..but c'mon lets not get crazy now
lol

January 12, 2007 3:19 PM  
Blogger kasamba said...

I'm with TOWIK on this!
Stunning!

January 13, 2007 4:25 PM  
Blogger socialworker/frustrated mom said...

Great post as usual and I really do want and need a treadmill for real. That would make my life exciting I think lol.

January 13, 2007 9:09 PM  
Blogger Sara with NO H said...

intense...truly. The music sped up amazingly at where the post did. Bravo.

January 13, 2007 10:29 PM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

knaidel...
Hmm not sure..I thought it automatically preload with all browsers. Do you have an old browser?
Anyhow..Thanks..I'm glad you enjoy.
I do feel like that sometimes..and everyonce in awhile that beautiful voice penetrates...and makes yu want to get off the treadmill...

kas...
Thanks

swfm...
Thank u
I just got a great one on amazon...I love it

sara....
Thank u..
:-)

January 13, 2007 10:35 PM  
Blogger anonym00kie said...

lovelovelove the song

January 14, 2007 11:45 AM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

Moiy...
yeh I know..thanks
I know..its kinda some odd getting thrown around like that..no pikshih..otherwise it would be true and dont want that

mooks...
Thanks..yeah..shes good Vanessa Mae

January 14, 2007 8:33 PM  
Blogger chana said...

my goodness - you dont cease to amaze me... out-do yourself every time.
i love how much you think, and the beauty with which you express your deeper life experiences.
...shocked back into living again ;)
thank you!!

January 15, 2007 2:26 AM  
Blogger chaverah said...

David, i need to express something myself. I am just SOO tired of writing YET AGAIN an amazing post. PLEASE david I bed of you please write something bad for once!
(amazing analogy)

January 15, 2007 10:06 PM  
Blogger chaverah said...

David, i need to express something myself. I am just SOO tired of writing YET AGAIN an amazing post. PLEASE david I beg of you please write something bad for once!
(amazing analogy)

January 15, 2007 10:06 PM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

chana...
Thank u..
thats what its al about..living..or as u call it deeper living

Chavera...
lol..ok I'll try
I prmise

January 15, 2007 11:11 PM  
Blogger Sara with NO H said...

Winters are cold once again.

January 30, 2007 3:29 PM  

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