Me And My Shadow Discover Jogging

         "Whew! When you leaned over to lace your sneakers I felt woozy and light-headed."

         "Oh, so now you show up. Do you have my back or what?"

         "Yeah, sure, sure. Um, before we get started shouldn't you take your coat off?"

         "What coat? Are you nuts?"

         "Really, you're not wearing a parka? Maybe it's the angle back here, but you seem a bit broader in the beam."

         "Hey! Watch it. No one has ever referred to me as a 'wisp of a thing', but, yeah, okay. Maybe I have a wee bit of winter weight to shed."

         "So, it's a wee bit? I miss my svelte silhouette."

         "Me too, that's why we're here. Today, we're going to jog through this park. Are you with me?"

         "I've followed you through thick and thin; I can handle a park. You start; lead the way. I'm right behind you."

         "Okay let's do this. Try to keep up."

         "Whoa, this is jogging? Shouldn't it be called jiggling?"

         "Who's panting and perspiring here? A few words of encouragement would be appreciated. I'm always the one making an effort."

          "Oh, there's nothing between us; I know you. I'm here to chase you, keep you moving. By the way, you're a little flat-footed."

         "Well, thank you. Have you ever lifted your own feet? This isn't as easy as those other joggers make it seem. They lope, I plod."

         "Oh, so you want me to applaud? Think swimsuit season. Remember your bikini? We can look good in the surf and sand."

         "Yes, I can see us sunning, but I also recall the painful sunburn. You never sit with me in the shade."

         "What can I say? I'm a sun-worshipper. I revel in a glorious day like today. It brings out the best in me."

         "Really? Sometimes, you're no more than a snide stalker. You follow me everywhere, close on my heels. Oooh, speaking of which, my feet hurt."

         "What are you doing? Ouch! Ooomph! You're smothering me. You're certainly heavier than you look. It must be hard work to move this around."

         "I'm going to sit on my assets, right here on this bench. I'm exercising my right to catch my breath. There's more than one way to take the weight off."

         "Groan. What about swimming?" ( 378 words)