Ideas & Opinions

MAX

Johnny Lake

Max was always there before I was. And as we walked the warm up laps before exercising he dispensed common sense and advice to anyone who would tarry in his presence more than 15 seconds. Everyone knew Max from one place or another. He would talk about almost anything and was an expert at several things. Max was not a poor man and had been very successful in business. But he also would good-naturedly complain about everything. And his biggest complaint was that he had been born a generation too soon. “These young people complain about how hard it is to make a living today. If I had been born just one generation later I would have been the richest man alive by now,” Max would tell me during our warm ups. After hearing it about a dozen times I began to believe that it would have been true.

Max walked laps at the health club each morning at 5am. Though some days it was a challenge to get there I always knew that Max was there and raring to go at 5am. The morning walks were part of the senior citizen’s exercise program and the health club opened every morning at 5am to receive a large group of early bird senior citizens who filled most of the club. There were many seniors that I met and talked with on a regular basis, but none were as persistent, intelligent, insistent, verbal and regular as Max and his wife, whose name escaped me on a daily basis. It seemed that Max was such a strong character that she was swept along in his draft and appeared to calmly and patiently enjoy the ride.

I used to watch them walk, with Max clearly setting the pace and maintaining the tempo with robust energy and bright, twinkling eyes that reminded one of a mischievous little boy who never found quite enough to occupy his curious mind or endless energy. But she was never more than half a pace or one pace off of his stride and seemed, with less effort, to more easily maintain her pace than Max did. It was obvious Max came to get a workout, but his wife appeared to more easily maintain the same speed and stride. On the many occasions when Max had to stop to emphasize a point to someone or to reinforce his statements with gestures, she simply kept going around the walking track with the same steady and sure pace. Upon coming back around upon Max, usually still making his point, she would nudge him back into his walk and away from the conversation. He would return to the walking with the same vigor and they would again strike off as a pair working out together. Sometimes she would lead the walking with more energy and vigor, but most often it was Max who set the pace and led the walk they both enjoyed. She appeared to willingly allow Max the front place and the lead and was always there right beside him maintaining the pace and stride.

One day I went to work out at the health club at 5am. And as usual I went to walk my laps to warm up before running. The elders were all there, ready and raring to go for their laps. I began my laps and expected Max to assail me at any moment with some bright idea or curious question. As I turned my first corner I was mildly surprised to not see Max already on the track. I saw several other familiar elders from their group. Then I saw Max’s wife walking more slowly than usual and walking all alone. It was one of the simplest and saddest sights I have ever seen. I immediately felt a great sadness for her and for Max. It was as if part of her was gone, was missing and I knew without asking that something had happened to Max.

Sure enough, upon inquiring I found that Max had suffered a sudden and massive heart attack. Max had not always engaged in exercise as vigorously as he did at the health club. In fact, most of Max’s life had been spent working and accruing wealth and status. It was only very late in life that Max took the time and opportunity to take care of his health. It seemed that Max had pursued things all of his life and had actually captured or obtained most things he had chased. But he had waited too late to regain his health.

Max had pursued exercise and fitness as he had pursued everything else in his life, with a great vigor, energy and determination. As he walked around the track you could tell from his stride and pace that he was determined to get his exercise and determined to be fit. When you talked with Max he would often leave you tired from his extensive and in-depth conversations. This was the same spirit of challenge and the same energy that had influenced Max’s life. Max was a picture of success and recognized around the community as a powerful and successful man. I believe he gave as much as he received and was true to his ideas and him self.

But my strongest memory I have of Max is not how much he earned or how successful he was in business. It was the day that I saw his wife walking alone and realized that he Max was no longer there. Each time that I see his wife, walking alone, it causes me to consider life and what is truly important in this journey.

I believe that if Max was born in this generation he would have certainly earned a lot of money, but I am not sure if I still believe that he would have been the richest man alive.

Johnny Lake, BA, Writer, counselor and keynote speaker helping professional groups become aware of attitudes and increase their knowledge to better participate and function in a multicultural society. His diversity trainings help people to communicate across cultures and to be successful in their personal, social and civic interactions. He is Chair, Oregon Governor’s Commission on Black Affairs, and Educational Chair of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He can be reached through his web site www.johnnylake.com.