To the girl who called me "Little tank"

To the girl with the cool Boston accent who used to call me "little tank" on the high school cross country team:

Thank you. My thanks used to be bashful and awk shucks, but I hope to someday be able to tell you how much it still means to me these years later.

Of all the athletes on the team I aspired to be like you not merely for athletic ability in putting one foot in front of the others but for your wonderful, positive attitude, for how encouraging you were as a team player, and for being the best person to cheer for all the runners beside.