High Fives

A few weeks ago, I was on my most common neighborhood route, four miles in, when another runner heading toward me from the opposite direction gave me a high five.  It was quite possibly the worst high five in the history of the world.  We were going too fast.  The street lighting was bad.  Really, I could make a million excuses.  But the sad fact is, it was just sloppy and awkward.  It was a little too aggressive on both our parts, and we half missed, but our individual momentum kept propelling us forward, lumbering away, each probably secretly blaming the mishap on the other's clumsiness.  It was the high five equivalent of a romantic comedy first date kiss where the guy goes in for on open-mouth kiss right as the chick trips, and he licks her eyeball.

With that said, though . . . I loved it!  I'm always up for some running camaraderie.  And since I personally often dislike running with other people (a topic for another time), that usually entails a quick smile and a nod with random runners on the street.  This more physical and interactive show of fellowship was something more rare, and, I must say, I got a nice little boost from it.

This afternoon, I was almost at the end of my run along the same route when a guy came out of a coffee shop, stepped onto the sidewalk and gave me a high five.  Again!  I'd like to note that it went much more smoothly this time.  I attribute it partly to the fact that he was walking, and partly to the fact that I privately vowed after the last blunder to be more skilled in my spontaneous high fiving.

I can't stop wondering, though, whether it was the same person.  It was near the first high five location, but too far to assume anything outright.  It was a different time of day.  This was a youngish white guy of medium height and average build, as was the first one.  But Portland's teeming with those, so that led me nowhere.  And since this guy was walking and not running like in the first encounter, I can't decide whether I think it's someone else or not.

Furthermore, I'm not sure which idea I like better:  the thought that there's some really spirited, high-fiving runner in my neighborhood, greeting other runners with palms of zeal and good cheer, or the thought that this random runner high five might be catching on, spreading through the sweaty ranks to power you on when you least expect it.  Either way, I'm in.