The Walking Stick Incident

A number of hikers I encountered on the Cinque Terre trails were sporting walking sticks. I've seen these occasionally in the US, but they must be more popular elsewhere, because a lot of people had them. At first, it seemed that mainly German hikers use them, but then at least two sets of French speaking hikers clicked past me with their sticks. The sticks come with different types of tips (perhaps interchangeable?). Many of them look just like ski poles and I wondered how those pointy things are allowed past airline security. They are potentially more dangerous than other banned items, such as nail clippers. Finally, I noticed that some of them collapse into about a 2 foot length, which I suppose could be fit into one's checked luggage. Anyway, they were a curiosity that I bet we'll see more of in the US in the coming years.

In a few places along the hiking trails, there are clearings where cats congregate and kindly people regularly leave food for them. I had just reached one such clearing and, like other hikers passing through, stopped by a bench to pet a cat who had been resting there. The cat was eager for affection and stood up, pushing her head into my hand and prancing about. Suddenly, a walking stick wielding woman bustled over to the bench. She used the pointy end of her stick to poke the cat and drive it off the bench. Next, she elbowed me out of the way and placed her walking sticks lengthwise across the bench so no-one else could sit there. Then she proceeded to smooth a plastic bag onto the bench so she could sit without mussing her precious high-tech hiking pants. I nearly grabbed one of her sticks and walloped her with it. But I restrained myself, picturing her with devil's horns as I trudged away.

Photos here.