I watch the elderly man across the street

A motorized platform lowers him from the bus onto the pavement

The bus driver comes around to spot him, but not to touch

He stands close by

It’s an odd arrangement

There is a hunch

The man’s posture is nearly at 90 degrees

His eyes almost parallel with his knees

One foot up, then forward, then down

The other one follows

The man’s movement pattern is a show

He walks behind a metal walker

The bus driver stays behind him like a stalker

The daffodils in his front yard droop

I watch as he approaches his stoop

Will he make it up the stairs

Is anyone behind that front door to provide some care

His knobby hands grab hold of the wooden rails

I sure hope his beleaguered knees don’t fail

One leg up, and then the next

Slowly but surely he climbs each step

He doesn’t go inside but rather to the chair on his porch

I wonder if his muscles are scorched

Sitting down he strangely looks tall

I’m really glad he didn’t fall

The whole sight is a bit sad

So I think I’ll do something to make me glad

I lace up my shoes and head out the front door for a run

“Hey, girl!” I hear

Across the way, the elderly man waves at me

I wave back

“You know, I used to run track,” he says

“Run as much as you can

Before gravity brings you down

Always do what you can while you can

The earth is pulling us into the ground

I’m on death’s doorstep but I’m not afraid”

I listened to what he said

I went for a run, defied gravity for a moment

It was great