Rushing into the nail salon for my 5 PM pedicure appointment, I took off my shoes and put my feet into the pedicure water. I began to talk to my nail tech, Tanya. I overheard the guy next to me telling a story about a friend who was texting him, apologizing for something that had happened at a Poker tournament. I looked over at the storyteller’s feet in the pedicure basin next to me and thought, gosh, those feet have seen some rough days – yellowed nails and twisted toes.
Tanya leaned toward me and asked, “do you know him?” and pointed at the guy next to me. I looked over at his face, and he looked at me, and I said, “no,” but seconds later it clicked! I looked back at him, the storyteller with the rough feet, and said, “ah, yes, I apologize – I do know you! How are you?” He smiled, and we introduced ourselves and then later, started taking selfies.
I sent the selfies to my daughters. I knew they’d be excited to see my chance introduction to undeniably one of the greatest Olympians of all time, Michael Phelps.
Today, a month or so later, my daughter, who’s training for a 1/2 marathon, sent me this Under Armour video, starring MP. She had watched the video and loved the message and knew I’d want to see it, too:
“It’s what we do in the dark that puts us in the light.”
The condition of MP’s feet was brought to light –
the innumerous hours of kicking off pools’ edges and through pools’ waters
isn’t seen by those of us who only witness an introduction and/or performance –
the athlete’s foot is only felt and truly understood by him, the storyteller, a committed, determined champion.
RP Stillworks Photography 