an easy yes would do

I ask a simple question.  “Hey, why don’t you come for a walk with me around the reservoir?” 

It’s perfect summer weather.  Somewhere in the 70’s with little humidity.  My son isn’t doing anything.

But really.  You’d have thought I’d ask him if he could go to a museum with me for an exhibit on medieval tapestries (we actually did do this once).

His response to my request for a walk? “No thank you.”

He then amplifies his response when he sees I don’t like it. 

“I don’t even understand walking as a form of exercise. It’s ridiculous.”

“You don’t get thinner.”

“You don’t get toned.”

It’s a waste of time unless you’re walking to get some place.”

“And, it takes up a lot of time.”

This, from my well-educated son who also says, “Why would you want to take 4-days to read a book when you can see the movie in only two hours?”

I try a new tactic.

“Look at it this way. You'd be spending 45 minutes of uninterrupted time with me.”

Hah!  As if that’s an incentive.

But in the end, Alexander agrees. 

It takes away just a little bit of the guilt for the dinner we have later with Valerie at Atlantic Grill.