The Not-So Grumpy Old Men

The Grumpy Old Men walking. L to R: Dan Davis, Bruce Garner, Coach Billy Parker, Gary Partlow, and Walter Brown, wearing sweatshirts given to them as a gift from athletic director Billy Parker. Photo by Allison Shank (GBG)

by Katherine Brown
sports co-editor of The Garnet Black & Gold, the newspaper of The Rock Hill High School Bearcats.

From the scorching mornings of summer to the frigid afternoons of winter, a
group of dedicated and determined men hit the track each day to walk their way to better health.

The self-acclaimed Grumpy Old Men walking club consists of three to five men
varying each day. Each man, a different story and a different reason to walk.

The regulars, athletic director Billy Parker, school board member Walter Brown and retiree Gary Partlow have been friends for ages.

Parker has suffered from a minor stroke and is battling diabetes. Brown had triple bypass surgery over the summer and Partlow is currently in remission of colon cancer.

Each of them is on the track each day to get in shape and walk their way back to perfect health.

"We're just friends helping friends " Parker said.

Parker and Partlow agree that the club is very exclusive. "You have to be a fan of Dancing With the Stars and be able to walk but if you're in a wheel chair, I'm sure we can accommodate," Parker said.

Partlow has different eligibility requirements. "To qualify you have to have had heart surgery, colon cancer, diabetes, or just be plain grumpy," Partlow said.

The regular group is occasionally joined by assistant wrestling coach Dan Davis and owner of Tom's Body Shop, Bruce Garner, Gamer was diagnosed with diabetes about a year ago and according to Partlow, Davis is just plain grumpy.

The men walk about 30 minutes to an hour each day depending on the weather and each person's schedule,

Everyone tries to make it each day so no one has to walk alone. "It's more or less an agreement but occasionally somebody fails to show," Brown said.
Anyone is welcome to join the Grumpy Old Men, although the men jokingly agreed that they would rather not extend the welcome to their wives. They would love it if others decided to join them. "We've got more room out there," Parker said.

I decided to go on a walk with the men one day to see what they're all about.
Their walks begin with the race to get to the track first. "We have competitions everyday. Whoever gets here [the track] first gets lane
one. Its the shortest," Brown said.

The winner is rarely anyone other than Brown. Lane two is normally occupied by Partlow and Parker claims lane three. Occasionally, Brown waits for the rest of the group to arrive but usually begins his walk alone.

When the remainder of the men arrive, their daily gossip session begins. As they make their way around the track the men talk about everything from
school, politics, the economy, all levels of sports and their favorite topic, 'Dancing with the Stars.'

According to the men, they solve the world problems out there on the track. "If people would just listen to us, the world would be a better place," Parker said.

The Grumpy Old Men follow the same routine each day and have grown rather fond of it. "I don't think there is any other track out there we would want to go to," Partlow said.

Although Partlow likes the location and atmosphere of their walks, Parker has a few ideas to "change it up a bit. "I would really like to move it to the beach or the mountains once a week or maybe even go on tour with 'Dancing with the Stars'," Parker said.

The men began walking at a slow pace but can now walk about 3 miles in an hour.

I asked the men if they had any hopes to jump the hurdles anytime soon and got very different responses. "We're grumpy old men, not stupid old men," Parker said. Partlow was a bit more hopeful, "Not this year, I might wait until next year when I get in better shape," Partlow said.

When their walk nears the end, the men are not in any rush to leave. They remain in the parking lot as they wrap up their debates over the latest 'Dancing with the Stars' episode.

"I really like the fellowship and health benefits of getting out here and walking everyday," Brown said. This is a common opinion among the Grumpy Old Men.

"We all have one thing in common, we love the Rock Hill Bearcats and would do
anything for the school," Parker said.

They have not only gotten in better shape but created a bond that will last a
lifetime. Founded on 30 minutes a day, this group shows the meaning of true friendship and the commitment that goes along with it.