Chapter 4I knew we were close to the Charles, so I headed towards the river. In no time at all, I found myself on a beautiful walking trail. Marsh grasses and the river on one side, dense evergreen plantings and tall bushes along the other; one could almost imagine they weren’t in the city. Almost. The sound of cars zooming by on Memorial beyond the trees was a constant. But there were other noises, too – the water lapping gently against the banks, birds fighting over the last of the berries on bushes. Every now and then a cyclist or hoverboarder would pass by, quietly alerting me to their presence with an “On your left.”
I walked for over a mile, the activity warming me up despite the chill of the season. I didn’t allow myself to think, just focused on moving. Counting my breaths helped.
