The Runner's Knee
Walter sat in the clinic waiting room, holding his knee. He was nervous. He hadn't seen a doctor in twenty years.
A nurse called his name and sat down next to him. “So, what's wrong today?” she asked.
“My knee,” Walter said. “It hurts when I run. I've run every morning for forty years.”
“How long has it hurt?” the nurse asked.
“A few months. But I haven't stopped running. I can't stop.”
The nurse looked at his knee gently. “You've got an old injury here,” she said. “You shouldn't run on it anymore. You should rest, and walk instead.”
Walter was quiet for a moment. Running was his whole morning, his whole life.
“No more running?” he asked.
“Not like before,” she said. “But walking is good too. Your knee has worked hard for forty years. Now you should be kind to it.”
Walter nodded slowly. He would miss the running. But he understood. Tomorrow morning, he would walk.