Stick Man–A Guy I Never Met

by

As I was out walking this morning on what’s purportedly the last dry day before the fall rains descend, I crossed the 28 million-step mark. In the last 7+ years of getting my steps on a daily basis, I’ve walked a total of 13,300 miles or 53.4% of the earth’s circumference. Believe me, no one is more surprised about that than I am. After all, as far as I was concerned, there was nothing at school I dreaded more than PE, and I’m not strong on keeping New Years’ resolutions, either.

But my determination to “get my steps” is something that stuck, and one of the reasons that happened is due to inspiration given to me by someone I never met and whose name I don’t know.

Early on, when I was still struggling to reach 10,000 each day, I’d find myself at 11:30 at night, marching around the kitchen island desperately trying to get the magic number before the clock struck midnight, and I turned into the proverbial pumpkin.

But it seems as though, whenever I drove through the neighborhood, I’d see a guy out walking. He was tall and thin, and usually wore a bright yellow reflective rain suit. There was no way you could miss seeing him. He walked along with the stiff-legged gait of someone who had maybe dealt with some kind of physical impairment. I called him Stick Man.

The Bridle Trails area is made up of glacial ridges. They don’t seem like much when you’re driving through them, but walking up and down those steep hills is quite another matter. Yet here was Stick Man, marching on those hilly streets without breaking a sweat or his stride.

I have no idea how old he was at the time—probably about the same age I am right now, but seeing him out there faithfully walking got to me. If he could do it on up-and-down sidewalks, I sure as hell ought to be able to do it on the flat surfaces of our driveway or pool deck! And seeing him out there walking day after day in all kinds of weather really spoke to me.

That, of course, was before Covid. I haven’t seen him for several years now. If he’s still walking, he’s no longer doing it out in public, but if someone reading this happens to recognize him or knows Stick Man’s family, I hope they’ll pass along my thanks. He made a huge difference in my life.

I wouldn’t be sitting here with 28,000,000 steps if it weren’t for him.

34 thoughts on “Stick Man–A Guy I Never Met”

  1. What an achievement and a shoutout to Stick Man! We just never know what a difference we might make on someone else’s life! Just keep walking! ??

  3. God bless Stick Man and you! Keep walking. I’ve been walking more these last few days, visiting my husband in the hospital. Very long corridors.

  4. I am always so envious of you and your walking. I hate to walk just to walk. Put me in a zoo or Disney park or other places like that and I’m there for days. Living in Phoenix most of my life made just being outside intolerant most of the time. And now I’m in Kentucky and it’s the winters.
    Enjoy your walks, no matter the weather.

  6. Great determination and results ! you’re an inspiration ! I haven’t been walking much as my 96 year old mother is in the hospital . I’ll get back to it sometime

  7. Everything I read says to walk. But I don’t. My knees give me a problem. But, then again I read that the walking would help. I guess I need to get out there and just do it. Like “Stick Man” inspired you, maybe I’d find my inspiration. Thank you for your great story.

  9. Congratulations on achieving 28 million miles. As I have mentioned before, I have trouble walking from the front to the back door, but at least I am walking. 12 years ago I was paralyzed from the waist down and spent 2 years in rehab relearning how to walk again. Now I feel blessed that I can walk at all. Keep on walking and writing.

        • I spent eight months a few years ago learning how to walk again after a back injury. I didn’t realize how helpless I was until I realized I couldn’t even stand up at first. It is a really scary feeling. I was lucky to have several very helpful therapists. I don’t walk much now, but can if I want.

          • We are blessed Carolyn Ann. I remember laying in the hospital bed figuring I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, but with wonderful therapists, and G-d’s will, I can now walk where I have to go. I’m slow, but I get there.

  10. Your 10,000 steps is an inspiration to me. I seldom get that many in a day. Hoe long does it take you to walk that many steps?

    Keep on keeping on!

  11. Oh, I hope you find out who he is/was. And, I’m sure you have inspired others.

  12. A Toast to stick man.
    I spent a wonderful hour with you and Margaret his week and am looking forward to dinner at SYC 10/24.
    I have been a fan since 1986, you were signing books at the University Bookstore in Bellevue, my daughter was working there at the time and had you sign your first three books for me. Thanks for the many hours and years of reading pleasure.

  15. Bless the people who influence us in many and varied ways. Knowing their names isn’t as important as knowing that we can make a difference in the life of others just with a kind smile or even just sharing space as we go about our daily living doing things we enjoy or know are healthy for us.

  16. Nice that you want to give stick man credit for inspiring you. Now we will wonder if he has any idea that he did that for you. Shows the importance of telling people how much they mean to us or how they made us feel good or how they encouraged us. I hope someone knows stick man and tells him he inspired you and you, in turn, inspired many of us. What a great ripple effect!

  17. I live on the plateau, and i favor issaquah over redmond. We’ve lived here maybe 25 years. I remember an older man, who i’d see out along the east shoreline road, jogging gently, from around the 7-11 and down to costco and back. He’d be wearing a yellow slicker, and it seemed like he was alwaays there. I asked another old timer here who he was, they thought his family name was Morgan, and maybe there was an article about him in the Issaquah Press. I did look for the article, without success.
    As the years went by, the jog turned to a walk, and i think the length of his path shortened. Now, however, i don’t think i’ve seen him for 5 years or so… unfortunately for me, he did not inspire me to daily walking. Now my knees and hips hurt if i take it too far, and i am resisting suggestions of surgery. Congrats on reaching your milestone…

  19. Just got to the place in DOI where Kyle is sent on his shopping trip when Rose told me it’s time to go to Costco. I man the shopping cart which aides greatly in my walking. So, after all is said and done, and about an hour wandering the isles, we exited with one big box of soy milk. But, I had traveled 2,107 steps, or shuffles…
    Never made 10,000 steps in one day on purpose, but I have walked around the world ??. In 1968 I was stationed at Mcmurdo station Antarctic. During the summer season, I believe it was in February, I was sent to South Pole station to do maintenance on some comm equipment. South Pole station is actually at the geographic south pole and there was a large metal structure with aircraft warning lights on it, probably a couple feet high. So, I walked over to the structure, walked around it, and thusly, completed my walk around the world in about half a minute.
    That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

  21. Should be couple hundred feet. I’ll also add that South Pole station was a pretty gloomy place.

    • Jim, I’ve read that the station at the South Pole is a boring place. I don’t think I’d care to go there. I like your idea of walking around the world there. How long were you there?

      • Hi, Carol Ann. I was only at South Pole station for around a week, but spent an entire year in the Antarctic at Mcmurdo station. Mcmurdo was lonely, but south pole station was downright depressing. So many things could go wrong and no way out during winter months. It takes a special kind of mindset to volunteer for a place like that.

  24. And YOU are the reason I started walking 10,000 steps a day in January 2021! I exceed it most of the time and I know its helping my health. Thank you!

  27. Thank you for After The Fire. For the first time I feel seen . . . and awake, and a little braver! –Chris, (the woman who cried at your book signing)

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