Walking Contest

The narrator starts imaginary walking contests with random pedestrians on the street when they happen to walk at the same speed.

• The narrator feels uncomfortable walking alongside someone at the same pace • The other person likely feels equally uncomfortable and may wonder about the narrator's intentions • There's an assumption that the other person might think something is wrong or that there's a hidden agenda

The narrator secretly accelerates while appearing casual and busy, telling themselves they need to walk faster and that they will win the contest.

After crossing an imaginary finish line and glancing back at the other person, the narrator feels like a winner but also feels somewhat silly about the whole situation.

The narrator questions what is so frightening about moving together with another person at the same speed.

• Safety issues • Intimacy concerns • Individualism - the belief that having something in common with a stranger, even walking speed, is unacceptable

The narrator expresses confusion about why people cannot simply walk together, implying there's an invisible social resistance to synchronized movement with strangers.

The narrator suggests that walking together at the same speed could actually be very cool and interesting, challenging the discomfort.