A Los Angeles man is doing something that most people seem to think is a little bit nuts. He’s taking people for a walk.
I get it. I need motivation and the buddy system to get me to move my butt. I sit far too much and I know it. Thank goodness for the treadmill and my “buddy” the iPhone.
For $7 per mile, the People Walker, Chuck McCarthy, will walk with you. It’s like Uber on sneakers.
Chuck’s website FAQ answers the obvious questions. No, they don’t use leashes. Yes, they will pretend to be your friend if you run into someone you know. (That’s kind of the point, says Chuck.) Yes, they will just sit and talk with you for $40 per hour but Chuck says they prefer to walk so you might be better off hiring an actual therapist. It’s L.A.; there are lots of therapists.
Who is hiring Chuck? People who need motivation and those who are afraid to walk alone. Chuck’s doing a brisk business. He has added five walkers to his roster. To those who judge him, Chuck says he’s filling a need and getting people moving when they’d otherwise be too afraid or unwilling to go out on their own.
When I first moved back to London, I tried this concept by becoming a dog walker. I put an ad on Kijiji with the sole purpose of finding a dog to walk to force me to get out and stroll every day. My only client was Echo, an overweight, mostly sweet yellow lab who had an anger management problem. Every time we saw another dog, Echo went insane. He reared up and I could barely hold him as he barked and drooled like Cujo. I had to give up our friendship or risk serious injury. It was like trying to hold back a bear. Chuck’s concept has merit but I’d like to be the walker rather than the walkee. Maybe he’ll offer franchises…
Even without a dog for the moment, I’m still out and walking most days practising my cane skills. So if you’re in Scarborough and need a walking buddy or just some motivation let me know and lace up those shoes.
You’re going to think this is crazy – but this is exactly what my friend/trainer Jill did for me on Monday. I came in for my regular appointment after our show and burst into tears (it wasn’t work related!) and she just said, “Let’s go for a walk”. So on a gorgeous late summer day we walked briskly through some downtown Toronto neighbourhoods. Had she not, I’d have just gone home and bawled some more, so it was the most wonderful, caring thing she could have done. Money very well spent. She’s a “people walker”…I poured my heart out, cried some more and got some welcome feedback and perspective. And I was so grateful.
That’s not crazy at all. I wish I had a Jill/people walker! She obviously tuned in to what you needed. That’s a gift.
Absolutely. So are you. Thank you for your work today spreading the word about Sepsis.