Jake The Jogger

52 Stories in 52 Weeks: ## 26 Jake The Jogger

By: Mr. George D. Patnoe., Jr.,' Ambidextrous Brain + Mind

Jake the jogger started his jog almost every time in the same way. About a half a hour before most jogs, Jake usually drank a small cup of sweeten Irish cream coffee, along with two aspirin. The coffee for a picker upper and the aspirin to thin the blood a little, and to stop the knees from swelling. Also were included were a few warm up stretchers, to stretch the legs and back muscles. Jake always wore official running sneakers. Buying sneakers was always tricky because there are always so many kinds of running sneakers to choose from when a person is shopping for running sneakers. Jogging sneakers are priced anywhere from $20 to $150, or more. Jake usually bought the middle of the road sneakers. (no pun intended) And then there was the proper music. Jake had found the perfect music for jogging.

Jake had discovered and then he learned about the four different basic brain waves that cause the brain to operate on either one or a combination of the four basic brain waves. The basic brain waves are: beta, alpha, theta, delta. When Jake prepared for his jog, he only wanted to listen to the beta/alpha music. Of course, he did not want to use the delta or sleep music. And maybe using the theta music for creativity and emotional development would be fun as a brain experiment, but it would not be really a practical job/brain experiment; unless of course, if a person really hated jogging. Then the emotional music might help the person love jogging. Who knows? So Jake did proceeded with common sense, using only high energy alpha music for an energetic jog.

As Jake started out with his jog, he always looked up towards the sky to turn his attention away from an enclosed house office to the open sky. A natural way to release the mind from being enclosed in a room. It felt like a mental release just to leave the house, from the brain work that Jake did everyday of the week. Jake was always busy doing brainwork because Jake felt that the brain was the most important part of the body. There were so many things to do with the brain: Read or write or listen to music or even write music or draw faces or other stuff or even working in the garden. Even the garden took brain work: planning the garden, experimenting with new plants, learning about chemicals, etc. Of course, the telescope in the backyard was fun to look through at nighttime, but then the brain needed to know what it was looking at, so astronomy books were needed to find out what was where, way high, up there in the heavenly sky. But jogging also took some brain work too, but the brain actually benefitted from jogging as the oxygen supply was increased throughout the whole body, including the brain. Jake always felt good after jogging.

But during the summertime daytime, there was also the blue sky entering the eyes and brain of Jake, until he looked down towards the street level. One day, Jake saw a few kids hanging out on the street corner and he did not think much of it; until he saw the same kids hanging out on the same street corner the next day. Spontaneously, as Jake jogged up to the kids, Jake pointed his pointing finger at the kids, a second before he said, ‘Do not forget to read.’ The kids stopped talking and starred at Jake as if Jake was crazy, but that was ok with Jake. During the following second and third jog, Jake again pointed his finger as he stated, ‘Do not forget to read.’ Jake then saw a face which reminded him of a grade school classmate who he used to fight with just for the fun of it. Jake always wondered happened to that fellow grade school kid. A teacher once refereed a fights between the child Jake and the other child. And that was the end of fighting for fun. How dumb was that very short experience. Jake had always wished that his parents taught him to communicate instead of teaching him to throw a punch.

One night, a thought hit him, ‘What if I could help that kid who I fought with before I died? Just to make amends for a wrong experience long ago. To use wordy communication instead of fists communication for a real purpose.’ Of course, Jake knew that it was not the exact kid, but the kid did look exactly like Jake’s childhood fighting friend; that indeed seemed strange. Jake always wondered what happened to the boy and Jake also thought the boy might have wondered what had happened to Jake.

After two weeks of pointing and stating, ‘Do not forget to read.’ The boy stepped onto the sidewalk and he says, ‘I did not forget to read.’ Jake shockingly stopped in his jogging tracks and he replied, ‘What did you read?’ The boy answered, ‘See Spot Run.’ Jake looked at the boy and he said, ‘That is very good, but one day you will read grownup subjects.’ The boy smiled as he looked up at Jake, ‘What are grownup subjects?’ Jake looked down at the boy and he replied, ‘When you get older, you will read books on history, economics, psychology and philosophy, and math and even politics. There are so many more subjects to read about, but your parents could help you by taking you to the library down the street.’ Jake began to feel a bit odd, so he waved good-bye as he pointed to the boy and he smilingly said, ‘Do not forget to read.’ Jake told himself that maybe it he should stop pointing and uttering the statement, ‘Do not forget to read.’ Jake finished his jog, just as he had with every jog.

Jake was feeling good about himself because he felt as if he had influenced one person to become a reader during his summer vacation. That was all well and good. Jake did not think twice about the boy because he doubted that he would see him again. So Jake waited for a few days before he jogged again, just because he was busy with other activities. Without thinking about the boy or even about making a magical statement such as, ‘Do not forget to read.’ to impress on the minds of kids, Jake prepared to jog again. After all, Jake had felt like a running commercial for reading for kids who were standing on street corners, who were bored with their wasted summertime. Jake thought that their parents should make them read, just for the fun of it; even during their summer vacation from school. Because Jake knew something special.

Jake knew that reading outside of school was more important than reading for taking a test in school. The mind had to be kept active. Jake had seen many college graduates who stopped reading after they had received their college degrees, as if they had gone to college just so they would be forced to read. Jake also knew that most people in America did not really know how lucky they were to live in a country that allows freedom of speech, freedom to write, and freedom to read. Jake, who lives in the democratic and capitalistic America, had visited communist China, of all places. He had traveled from Hong Kong to the Great Wall, by a train ride of almost 33 hours, and then back again, all the while stopping in the middle of China to visit smaller towns and cities. The still communist country did not have the books that America’s bookstores and libraries provided to all Americans and non-Americans alike.

Before Jake’s next jog, he promised himself that he would not be a running commercial for reading; though he thought that would be a very good commercial for real television. Imagine if you will, the president of the United States of America jogging in a television commercial for reading. He is wearing an American flag sweat suit, leaving the White House. He smiles as he points to the cameras as he points his finger to the viewer and he states, ‘Do not forget to read.’ And then a few words stream across the screen, ‘This announcement was paid for by your taxes.’

Jake started out on his jog, looking up at the palm trees and light blue sky with the flying seagulls, and the yellow hot sun that sent to earth its heat and light. Jake started sweating as he listened to the music, but he also had a water bottle with ice water in it. Jake subscribed to Runner’s World and it had a lot of neat joggers equipment; like a runners belt that could hold different liquid containers for the different kinds of liquids a runner would need, like water and Gatorade. Jake also used two hand squeezes, so the pumping blood would travel through his violin arms and fingers.

As Jake jogged down the street, he was caught off guard when he heard the words, ‘Hey, I did some more reading.’ Jake slowed down as he looked to his left and he noticed the boy. Jake said, ‘What is your name? The boy looked up towards the sky and replied. ‘My name is Pierce.’ Jake noticed that Piere was holding a basketball. ‘Hey Pierce, can I hold the basketball?’ Pierce handed over the basketball to Jake. Jake said, ‘Would you like to learn something about science, namely astronomy.’ Pierce answered, ‘Sure.’

Jake held the basketball while Pierce and a few other kids listened to him ask, ‘When you look at the sun, how big does it look like? But do not look directly at the sun because it could hurt your eyes.’ Pierce quickly glared at the sun and he answered the question by making a small circle with his finger and thump. Jake asked Pierce, ‘Now how big do you think the sun really is?’ Pierce replied, ‘I do not know.’ Jake looked at the basketball and he said, ‘Lets pretend that the basketball is the sun. OK!’ Jake then bent down to pick up a small pebble. ‘Now, lets pretend that this pebble is planet earth. OK! Planet earth is moving around the huge sun like this.’ Jake move the earth pebble around the basketball sun. He said, ‘And the earth pebble is rotating around in a circle as it moves around the huge sun and the moon is rotating around the earth. So the earth and the moon are rotating around the sun as a unit. A total of nine planets rotate around the sun. All the while, you are standing on this earth pebble and even though you are physically smaller than the sun or the earth, you can think about the sun, the earth, and the universe, and that makes you a very big person. Isn’t that really cool?’

You can know and understand the universe and it does not matter if you are white or black, rich or poor, young or old. There are nine other planets rotating round the sun and the astrophysicists know all kinds of stuff about the sun, earth, and the planets. And all you have to do is to read a book to learn what they know. Isn’t it cool?’ Pierce’s eyes looked up towards the sun and Jake could tell that he had caught Pierce’s attention. ‘And guess what Pierce? Even though you seem smaller than the universe, living on the pebble earth, but you can think about anything you want to. Not only that, you can understand the whole universe and all you have to do is look at pictures in books and read astronomy books; books you can borrow from the library for free. All you need to do is ask your parents to bring you to the library.’ Jake returned the basketball to Pierce.

‘Well Pierce, I am late for an appointment, so I have to go; but I hope you learned something about the universe and science.’ Pierce was silent as a lamb, as he began his new life as a universal wonderer. So were the other kids. Jake felt even better than when he had been a jogging commercial for reading. Jake realized that he had just taught a min-science course on a street corner. He wondered about how he might be influencing the boy for the rest of his life. Of course, in all probably, he would not be able to monitor Pierce’s educational development during his lifetime, but maybe; just maybe Pierce would become a scientific thinker as he grew older. One small impact on a child’s life could mean the difference between jail or college. Jake knew that he should be ready to talk again, with simple facts about the sun and earth and science.

A week later, Jake was running and Pierce was on the sidewalk in front of another house. Jake noticed that Pierce was always at a different house every time they meet. ‘Hey Pierce, where do you live anyway?’ Pierce pointed to a house. ‘I live there.’ Jake wrote down the house’s number so he could meet Pierce’s parents, if that was possible. Jake felt as if he was now on a humanly angelic mission to help with Pierce’s mental development. Jake wanted to talk to Pierces’s parents. Jake slowly but surely felt that he was an angle guided mini-mission to change the life and the future of one child, one boy; a boy whose parents were obviously to busy to take the time to nurture their child’s intellectual development.

Jake realized that his time was short with the boy, but he also realize that the butterfly effect would take hold of the boy after Jake had planted the seed of science and understanding into the boy’s wandering mind. The butterfly effect is part of Chaos Theory. It states that one butterfly’s flying wings can start a hurricane on the other side of the world. Jake was hoping that his words would have a butterfly effect on Pierce’s future. But even so, every time Jake saw Pierce, he was in front of a different house, playing with different children. Jake knew something was wrong with the picture of a boy who wandered from house to house, from one group of children to another group of children. Jake knew that Pierce had no parental guidance, just as the millions of children whose parents were to busy, to lazy, to dumb, to uncaring, to show their children how to use their minds.

A few days later, Jake started his jog without a thought about Pierce. But by the time Jake had reached Pierce’s street, he remembered his unspoken mission. Jake had guessed that Pierce might be waiting for him; and sure enough, there was Pierce standing on the sidewalk. Pierce yelled out, ‘Hi.’ Jake stopped as usual, ‘Hey Pierce. How are you doing today.’ Pierce smiled as he replied, ‘Great.’ as if he was waiting for another mini-lesson of science.

Jake bent down low, to look Pierce into his eyes. ‘Hey Pierce. Do you know what a light wave is? Pierce looked Jake, ‘No. What is a light wave?’ Jake answered, ‘The scientist can see light waves as either a wave or a particles.’ Jake drew a wave and some particles on the earth’s dirt, just to compare the two viewpoints of light-waves. Jake looked up at Pierce and he said, ‘Do you know how long it takes the sun’s light waves to reach planet earth?’ Pierce looked up at the sun and said, ‘I do not know.’ Jake replied, ‘It takes eight minutes for the sun’s light to reach planet earth, and that light is traveling at 187,000 miles per second." Pierce voice a big long, ‘Wow.’ as he looked up to the sun again. ‘And guess what? There are unseen, very tiny particles from the sun that are traveling right through our bodies and the earth right now.’ Pierce looked at his body. ‘Wow, science is cool.’

Jake stood up and smile, ‘That is correct Pierce. Science is cool. And never forget it. Maybe you will grow up to be a scientist, if you want to be a thinking scientist. Do not let anyone stop you from becoming a scientist, if that is your dream. I have to go now. See you later.’ Although Jake knew that he might see Pierce only a few more times, just so he could meet Pierce’s parents, Jake knew that his min-mission was accomplished Jake made a mental note to meet Pierce’s parents if he ever saw them outside their house. ‘Hey Pierce, how would you like an astronomy book.’ Pierce yelled out, ‘Sure.’ as Jake jogged off into the distance.

Jake jogged off to go home. As he entered his garage, he looked at all of his astronomy books. He knew that an astronomy book would help his goal of helping Pierce to never forget the summer’s mini-lecture’s of science. He looked over small astronomy books as well as big astronomy books. There were so many astronomy books to choose from, but he saw a medium size astronomy book titled: The Universe And Beyond, by Terence Dickinson. Jake inscribed the front blank page with; ‘To Pierce, Never let anyone or anything from stopping you from becoming a great big.’

Jake was so excited that Pierce would be able to see more of the universe from the book’s grand pictures, that he hopped into his car and he drove over to Pierce’s house and he knocked on Pierce’s door, but no one was home. So Jake put the book between the inside door and the outside door. Pierce realized that when they opened the front door, the book would fall into their sight. Almost like a gift from the universe to a few people who might not ever buy a book on the universe. Jake hopped into his car and he drove off home; happy that he might change the lives of many people in Pierce family.

Jake knew that his gift of the universe might be rejected by Pierce’s parents, but he also knew that they probably would let Pierce keep the book, which meant that Pierce’s brothers and sisters would look at the pictures of the universe too. Jake could only hope that his gift would be taken as a precious gift, more precious than gold. Because, all of the gold in the world would not enable people to understand the universe or the laws of the universe. Being able to understand the universe and the laws of the universe was a grand gift from the Grand Creator of both the universe and of true thinkers on planet earth.

Jake next jog only consisted of one goal. He could already feel Pierce’s parents anticipation as he jogged on the sidewalk towards Pierce’s house. Jake saw the big guy in Pierce’s home driveway. For some reason, a big electrical white truck was parked in the driveway. Jake waved to the big guy before he reached the driveway. The big guy waved back. Jake stopped jogging as he started to walk up to the big guy and he said, ‘Hi, I am Jake and I am the one who left the astronomy book in your doorway. The big guy reached out his hand to shake Jake’s hand. Jake felt good.

‘Pierce is quite an intelligent boy.’ said Jake. Pierce’s dad said thanks with a look that expressed an amazement that someone saw a sign of intelligence in his boy. Almost a doubtful look by Pierce’s dad. In an instant during that doubtful glare, Pierce’s mom walked through the front door. Pierce’s dad looked on Jake as Jake said, ‘Hi, I am Jake and I am the guy who gave Pierce the astronomy book.’ Pierce’s mom looked doubtful on Jake as she stated, ‘Oh, thanks.’ Jake’s voice slightly soared when he stated, ‘Pierce is quite an intelligent boy.’ Pierce’s mom looked even more doubtful than Pierce’s dad as she replied, ‘Sure, sure.’ She shut the door and walked inside their house.

Jake knew that his mission was over as he reached out his hand to Pierce’s dad. ‘Nice to meet you.’ And Jake was off, jogging again. Jake knew of the law of ‘Leave Well Enough Alone.’ Jake left the past in the past as he jogged into the future. He started to jog at a different time, usually late at night. But one evening, Jake was sitting in a chair on his front pouch when he saw Pierce walking by. ‘Pierce, what are you doing way over here?’ Pierce walked up to Jake. Jake said, ‘Did you enjoy the pictures in the astronomy book. Pierce held his breath for a second before his said, ‘Sure did. Thanks for the book.’

Jake just happened to be reading a chess book. He looked at Pierce, ‘Have you ever heard of chess. Pierce replied, ‘Sometimes I watched chess tv, but I have never played it.’ Jake responded, 'Maybe I can help you out with that, but I think you should stay closer to your home. The world can be a dangerous place Pierce. Be careful!’ Jake waved good-bye to Pierce for one last time.

Before Jake started off on his next jog, he grabbed a $6.00 chess set, just for kids. He signed the box with, ‘Dear Pierce, Merry Christmas in July. Jake.’ As Jake jogged down the street, as he jogged up to Pierce’s house, he heard the kids playing in the house as he hung the bag on the door knob. He knocked on the door, then he jogged away, forever not knowing, if a few science and astronomy lessons and a chess set would change the future life of a lonely and unguided boy.