The American Spectator

br> Clinton, North Carolina /p> p> OUT OF THE WAY, SONNY br> Re: Readers’ letters under “Walk the Walk” in Reader Mail’s Not So Fast and Russ Ferguson’s Accelerate Yourself : /p>

Well, if no one else agrees with Russ Ferguson, I suppose the opinion of an 81 year old crone will be cold comfort. Snails stop to smell the roses. And they leave a trail of slime.

I have been a fast walker all my life and can attest to the benefits of it. The greatest one being that I can still walk fast. It certainly helps when you are sprinting against a fast walk light across six lanes of traffic. I have to admit I carry it a bit far, with my brisk pace in a grocery store behind a loaded cart. I don’t want to smell the garlic or the fish case. My fervent prayer is that I won’t meet a friend in aisle 3 who wants to discuss the merits of green tea over darjeeling.

I hope this does not lead to a torrent of letters from folks who have hip replacements, congestive heart failure, COPD and emphysema. Obviously, I don’t mean them. I refer to the terminally slow strollers of all ages who impede my progress and seem to have some kind of radar that guides them to shamble to the right when I am attempting to get around them on the right. They can’t all be halt and lame. What we need is a Slow Lane for pedestrians.

My brother is 79, physically fit and a determined slow talker and slow walker. OK by me. I’ll meet him at the corner. But I am not dragging my feet to accommodate his leisurely gait. Sometimes I shame him into shifting out of second gear. I ask him to pick it up a little. He asks me what’s my hurry.

p>My day begins, 5 days a week, by walking three blocks uphill from my parking place to take my first grader grandson to school. With an enthusiastic 6 year old setting the pace, it starts the heart! br> — Diane Smith /p> p> R-E-S-P-E-C-T br> Re: The Prowler’s Couric Diminishes Gov. Palin : /p>

I read your article about Katie Couric not wanting to use Governor Palin’s title of Governor. I notice the same thing in the media referring to President Bush. I constantly hear the media refer to him as Mr. Bush or George Bush while you hear them calling Bill Clinton, “President Clinton” instead of “Former President Clinton” or just Bill Clinton. Every time I hear them say “President Clinton” I scream at my TV, “He hasn’t been president for eight years!” It’s no wonder their ratings are so low.

p>Keep up the good work! br> — Jeanene Brake br> Overland Park, Kansas /p>