Why?

That’s probably the question I’ve been asked most often since leaving Fort Wayne and starting this journey last Tuesday. The answer, in a nutshell, is simple.

I’m a savant.

In other words, I’m good at one thing, and one thing only. I’m not a believer in false modesty, so I will just say right out that I think that I’m very good at what I do. But I’m also realisitic about my strengths and weaknesses, and I’ll tell you this, too. I’m not very good at anything else.

I can’t fix things around my house, unless it involves screwing in a light bulb, and even that can be an adventure.  Auto repair? Forget it. I had no money when I bought my first car, which meant trying to deal with vehicle issues myself. Even a simple oil change was an adventure, and I wound up under my car with scalding oil all over my torso the first time I tried it. I can, however, fill the gas tank, although earlier this summer I managed to pull away from the pump with the hose still in the tank. Not good. I’m also inept around the yard, so much so that a few years back I actually hired an enterprising neighborhood lad to mow the lawn. Not because I was lazy, but because I had legitimate concerns about hanging on to all of my toes if I got to close to a mower.

I’m bad at other things, too. I am to relationships what Isiah Thomas is to running a basketball team. I haven’t talked to anyone I went to high school with since, well, high school. I’ve worked with countless people over the course of my career and have stayed in close touch with fewer than a handful of them. I’ve been divorced, and countless other women have put me on waivers over the years.  Oh, and I also have problems dealing with authority, in large part because I’m stupid enough to tell the boss when I think he’s being an idiot. Most bosses, believe it or not, do not appreciate such candor.

So I’m a savant. I’m good at one thing, and one thing only. Fortunately for me, it’s something that I have a passion for, and it’s something that I’ve been able to coerce people into paying me to do over the years. I’m very aware that I’ve been extremely fortunate in this regard, and I can honestly say that I’ve never really felt like I’ve had a job. So every once in a while, I manage to bury my selfish tendencies and do something that benefits someone else. Even then, though, my motive is not entirely altruistic, and in the interest of full disclosure I feel compelled to mention that I decided I wanted to challenge myself with a 500 mile walk long before I tried to figure out a way to raise money for charity at the same time.

So. Back to the original question. Why? Because I have the time, the Pacers have always been supportive of my desire to do different things in the summer, and every once in a while doing something good for somebody else makes me feel better about myself. This is one of those times.

Tuesday’s Journey: New Castle to Cambridge City

Mileage: 14.7 (Stack Rik Smits end to end 10,588.8 times and you’re there)

On the iPod: NPR’s It’s All Politics and Kid Rock’s It’s All About Jesus CD

P.S.: One other thing I’m not good at: gadgets. I have the new super, duper, Samsung Galaxy S in hand, but can’t figure out how to post. I’ll consult the experts and try tomorrow.