President’s Hike

I am 17, a Junior in H.S.,
Walking along old Fredericksburg
Road out of San Antonio at 4 am
In the morning when a police
Car pulls alongside me and
Asks where am I going,
I reply that I am going on the
President’s suggested 50
Mile hike for physical fitness out to Boerne, Texas and back in a day.
The officers look at me and smiles,
They wish me luck but expect
I will never make the hike.
I walk along by the roadway
With street shoes and no hat,
There is no I-10 major highway yet,
Just a two-lane country road.
I go up and down the rolling
Hills and by late morning I am
Close to Boerne so I stop for
Water and snack at a country
Store where the owner looks at
Me and my shoes as if I were crazy.
I top the last hill over looking Boerne
And decide this is close enough,
Turn and start my way back to
San Antonio walking on the
Other side of the roadbed.
By dark I am in San Antonio
On north Fredericksburg Road
Hoping to run into the same police
Officers but do not, I am strangely
Tired and each step seems a
Effort as I reach home and go
Upstairs to phone my girlfriend.
I sit on the stairway for privacy
And chat for 20 minutes then
Try to stand up to go lie down
But I can not move my legs,
I think how strange and crawl
To my bed to sleep for 20 hours.
I think I am a better citizen
For my effort but am sore for
Weeks and walk funny,
I do a John Wayne voice to
Deflect ridicule of my walk
But know I could never have
Done the walk with a pack
And weapon on my shoulders.
I am a civilian and likely
To remain one unless
I am drafted, a few years later
I am called to report for
My military fitness exam.
I was never called up
For duty but would
Have gone if
Called, I
Was just
Lucky.