Game Guy

I was on my way into Boston for the fourth time in 2 weeks, this time I’d stayed overnight at my sister’s house and was taking the train in. This is unusual for me since the train doesn’t come up to my part of the state, but that’s another (long) story…

Standing at the platform waiting for the train, wishing I’d brought with me the handy ear warmers I’d bought the first trip to Boston, along comes a guy that immediately irritated me. He had a posse of about three other guys and was talking to his devoted audience about who knows what. All I know is that he was loud and deemed obnoxious by my standards. He walked on by the platform I stood on.

Train arrives, I go down to the lower level seating, choose a small seat on the left and who sits diagonal - at the fancy table seating on the right, saying hello to the guy in front of me? Game guy. I dub him this after hearing him pontificate for a good 10 minutes to his enlarged posse about this ranking and that stat, blah blah blah. He not only knows all the important things, no doubt subscribes to all the right sports alerts, but also has the look - you know the one - Mr. All American. He then peppers his conversation with details about derivatives and some poor dejected, but brilliant woman (missed these details, which I would bet were quite revealing about the career recognition gap between hardworking women and game guys).

I start reading my book, ironically titled Influencer, and notice game guy is no longer talking. I look over and see he’s on the computer - no doubt checking the latest scores and picks.

After a rather pleasant ride (which my sister later confirms was an exceptionally smart choice given the traffic on the turnpike) I get off at South Station and hoof it to the World Trade Center where I was going to the NorthEast Sustainable Energy Association conference. Out in the brisk, nose running temperature I was inclined to walk quickly which is my nature anyway. Shortly I realize that I have never before seen so many intensely fast walkers in my life! I am literally being smoked by speed walkers. So, with a competitive nature no longer in check, I start lengthening my stride, swinging my one hand not stuffed in a coat pocket, and despite my best effort, surrender to earning a solid B in the speed walking test.

And herein lies the rub. At which point do we trade blasts of exhilaration for adrenal health? As any high achieving multi-tasker knows, our adrenal glands get depleted pretty easily, often way before we notice if we actually do notice). Reflecting on this, my mind drifts back to game guy. Yes, he (and his pervasive tribe) still irritates me, probably more to do with the uneven male/female economic playing field than anything else, but perhaps there is some wisdom collected in the sports arena about adrenal depletion. I guess I’ll add that to my plate of “important things to look into”.