“Shall we glide?” Molly suggested.
“Yes, I’d love to” replied Jonathan.
The park was big, with a huge variety of plants and trees. Molly always wanted to see as much of it as possible. She also loved to glide, just for the sake of it.
The Glide was one of the most popular inventions from Sean’s Academy. The small solar panel on the electropack provided power to a set of rollers in the Glide soles that were strapped on to the wearers’ regular shoes. The stop, start and speed controls were held in the hand and the rollers adapted to uneven surfaces, so it could be used almost anywhere. It was cheap to buy, cost nothing to run and needed little maintenance. It came with a Carry-Glide, a collapsible basket with wheels that could be hooked on, to easily transport small items. The best thing was that the Glide was light enough to be carried, so it took a huge weight off the transport system. Walking and gliding had become great pleasures for most people.
Jonathan strapped the small panel onto Molly’s back and helped her slip into the Glide soles. He made sure the brake was on and plugged in the cable. Then he did the same for his own Glide. He took her arm and they both switched on. Gently increasing their speed, they joined the other gliders.
“Oh, this is glorious!” exclaimed Molly, as they passed large trees, flower beds planted with color, and a small lake full of birds. Jonathan clicked the camera to catch a few images as they moved.
At the far end of the lake they met Henry’s great grandmother. Henry was a longtime friend of Jonathan’s. He introduced her to Molly and they chatted briefly.
“Isn’t she amazing, Molly? She’s 120 next month. She puts it down to good food and a young husband. It’s so sweet. Her husband, Henry’s great grandfather, is 115! He’s still very fit too and walks everywhere. He says it’s all due to having such a gorgeous wife! Wonderful to think we can live such long and healthy lives. You’d like him, Molly. We’ll have to visit one day.”