“The elevator is to your left!” I smiled at the guard, and proceeded to take the stairs. Two at a time, though. Most of the time, the stairwells are encased securely out of sight. Most of the time, taking the stairs means a dull view of cement walls, the echoes of your effort reverberating throughout the entire climb/descent. Unpleasant. Efficient. Not these stairs. Sure, my destination was on the third floor. But who looks at a staircase like this without wanting to explore it? People with less time on their hands than I have, I guess. But I had the time, and I wanted to do what I do— gawk at the architecture and absorb the history. Take in the way the light bounces off the stained glass accents and glimmers off the polished stone of the walls. Pretend I’m interested in my phone while I stand and listen to the hushed conversations, the thud of a heavy door as it announces someone’s exit, and in the spaces between the noise- the revered silence accompanying a structure that has borne so much history. I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly when I got to the third floor. Part of it was catching my breath. I’m not as fit as I had been prior to my disc issue. I don’t know how to explain myself other than knowing I’m not the only one who does this - having read it in more intelligent voices than mine - I wanted to take in the scent of this living, breathing relic of a building. They all smell a certain way, and it isn’t unpleasant. I smiled to myself when I detected it, and continued to scurry off to deliver my parcel. Signature collected, I descended the stairs. I thanked the staff quietly, and bounded through the exit and back to my vehicle, parked illegally, in front of the courthouse. I drive off, singing along to the radio, eager for another assignment. That was my Friday. And here comes Monday. #loveyourself #courier #nodocknoproblem #stairsworkout #theclimb #hashtags #work #workingoutatwork #stpaul #workit (at Minnesota State Capitol)
