“Do you know, Dar, when was the last time I ran more than 250 yards?”

“Eh...”

“We were living in Houston. It was 1984. That’s 30 years ago.”

“It will be good to get back..”

“I broke my ankle on that run, Darius. I had a cast for 8 weeks. The freeway from work to home was so congested that I couldn’t go more than 5 miles an hour. The air conditioner wouldn’t work when I went 5 miles an hour, Darius. My ankle got swollen in my cast and I was miserable...”

“But that won’t happen..”

“Of course not,” I thought, “because I am not going to be stupid enough to take part.”

“It will be fun, Dan.” Nazy interjected. “I think we should do it!”

“Whose side are you on?” I replied. Miffed.

“I’m on your side, Dan. It’s healthy.”

“I will finish last.” I replied.

“No, Dad. That will never happen. You get slotted by age and handicapped appropriately. I’m sure you won’t finish last.”

“You won’t finish last, Dan.” Nazy cajoled. “I’ll run too and I’ll let ypu beat me.”

“Let me beat you?”

“And you get a tee-shirt, Dad.” Darius concluded.

In spite of inspired tactical maneuvering, I was unable to avoid the race. But Melika had talked Nazy into watching Jamshid during race time. So, Nazy started off well before the official starting gun. Veracity note: She was pushing a stroller.

I mingled with the ‘real’ runners: the High School Track team, the Olympic qualifiers, the marathoners, the fitness buffs... And then.

“Start Dad!” Darius shouted as he burst into action. Safely packed in the middle of the pack, I began to run. As fast as I could. People began to pass me. Everybody began to pass me. Puffing and wheezing, I slowed. I decided that I’d walk a bit, catching up with Nazy and walking back with her and the stroller. As I was power walking up the hill, Darius passed me on the way back. I finally caught up with Nazy and, together, we strolled back toward the finish line. About 400 meters from the end, Darius, who had (of course) finished, found us still on the course.

“I’ll take the stroller. You guys just run to the finish.” Darius commanded.

Nazy and I jogged off. (The baby, seeing Darius, began to cry.)

I ran about 200 meters and then realized that Nazy wasn’t running with me. I stopped and jogged back to run with her.

Note: 5 runners passed me while I was jogging sdrawkcab.

“I didn’t know it was possible to run so slowly,” I said as I joined her.

“The baby is crying, Dan.”

“I know, let’s just finish and then we can go back and comfort the baby.” I replied. “We can also comfort Darius,” I thought.

I ran a bit with Nazy and then, about 100 meters from the end, I sped up and crossed the finish line - well ahead of Nazy. When Nazy crossed the line, they closed shop. We ran back to the baby. The result were posted the next day.

“Well, Dad,” Darius explained. “You didn’t finish last.”

“I know. Nazy finished last.”

“You finished third in your age group.”

“How many people were in my age group?”

“Three.”

“And Mom?”

“She finished first in her age group.”

“Ducky. Just ducky.”

Mitra and TRA IV
Note the socks!

Mitra and Stefan drove up from Los Angeles to visit, see Darius and ‘oh and ah’ Melika’s baby Jamshid. (Melika calls him ‘Tiger’.) The enhanced chance to visit with our offspring is one of the major benefits of living in Santa Barbara. We all (including Tom and Melika) played “One Night Ultimate Werewolf” - several times. I was on the winning team every time.

“Every time, Dad?” Mitra asked.

“Well, every time - except the one time I forgot the way the rules worked.”

“You missed the whole point.”

“The rules were complex. It’s just like misinterpreting a tax regulation: unfortunate, but unpreventable.”

Mitra and Stefan were also able to see the explosive growth and maturity of Jamshid - now seven weeks old. I wanted to take some good photos of Mitra, Stefan and Tiger. But..

“You have to stand still while I take the shot, Mitra.” I explained as Mitra bobbed and weaved through the house.

“I’m teaching Jamshid to dance.”

“Dance? He hasn’t learned to crawl.”

“That’s why learning rhythm now is so important.”

“In fact, I’m going to get Stefan to help.”

Learning to Tango