I walk our Buckhead neighborhood to maintain my cardiovascular health. No one wins the war on aging, but I am fighting a rearguard action. The fact that Keith Richards has outlived Richard Simmons challenges my resolve. Yet I rock on.

A walk around the block includes a death-defying dash down Northside Drive. The stretch of US 41 crams three lanes into a two-lane road. The federal highway abuts the sidewalk, and a two-inch painted line separates motorists from pedestrians.

The traffic light at West Wesley and Northside serves as a starting signal for racing cars. Drivers go from 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds, flooring accelerators like drag-strip fans. The roaring motors create Doppler effects for pokey pedestrians.

My feet tiptoe down the sidewalk’s far side like a tight-rope acrobat. I gauge the potential threat of every oncoming car’s acceleration and trajectory. It feels like a real-life game of Frogger with no chance for a second life.  

We live in a face-paced society with places to go and people to see. If you are driving down Northside Drive, please consider slowing down. The life you save might be mine.