Walks, Part 1

I stand up and silently walk down the aisle, past bent heads and grey cubicle walls. Glancing both ways, I clutch my jacket in a suddenly damp hand and step quickly past the row of offices until I reach the door. Before I take a dozen steps into the bright sunlight, I bend down and tie my tennis shoes. My right had slips into my coat pocket, bringing out the paperback novel I carry just for this purpose. Time slips by as I walk the trails around the parking lot. It's a big parking lot. An hour later my reluctant final steps lead me back through the gate, back to work.