I’ve written often about the National Institute of Running Sciences and several of the researchers and scientists who work there. However, I haven’t mentioned them lately because of an incident that soured our relationship.

In a September phone call, I accused lead researcher, Dr. Ayer O’Beck, of shoddy methods which I detailed in the post, I’ve had it up to here with them. He got so mad that if we’d been face-to-face, fists would have been flying. I decided to make amends by traveling to the Institute in Washington, DC to apologize in-person.

I read an entire Jess Walter novel on the plane and upon landing caught a cab and went directly to the Institute. Several times I had been rude and inconsiderate to the receptionist on the phone. I went straight to her desk, brought up every incident, and apologized profusely for each one. When I finished, she asked if I meant to go to the National Institute of Running Sciences. “It’s the building next door,” she said.

Next door I went and presently was sitting in Ayer O’Beck’s office being contrite, humble, and complimenting his exceptional research skills over and over. I could tell Ayer was very appreciative of the length I’d gone to repair our relationship. Lunchtime arrived, and he offered to treat me in the Institute’s cafeteria.

Their spinach salad looked delicious, and I love spinach. I grow it in my garden and eat spinach all the time. I really can’t stress enough how much I love spinach. So what did I order? The spinach salad, of course.

Ayer must have been in a great mood from all the compliments I’d given him because he was smiling at me and trying to stifle joyful laughter the entire meal.