Bringing it back: The walking stick
Jan 31, 2012, 10:42 AM | Updated: Oct 14, 2024, 11:48 am
Apparently not new to radio newsrooms, the walking stick is making it’s way back into fashion at the 97.3 KIRO FM studios.
Seattle Morning News Producer Dan Restione is making a case for the return of the walking stick as an accessory.
“Dan, I saw you the other day walking with a cane and I thought, that’s too bad, he’s got a ski injury, but it turns out you’re just doing it because you like the style of walking with a cane?” asked Ross and Burbank host Dave Ross.
“Absolutely,” responded Restione.
When asked where the idea came from, Restione said he can observe his own fascination with sticks all the way back in childhood.
“Is there nothing a child likes better, especially a boy child, than a stick? Didn’t we see Tom Sawyer walking down running the stick along the picket fence? There’s just something excellent about it.”
Restione also cites his ongoing fascination with Victorian culture as another potential cause.
“I thought, we lost some things there. We lost some things that shouldn’t have been lost.”
For his walking stick, Restione selected a rosewood stick, stained brown, with brass accents. His stick cost around $50, but he says you could spend much, much more.
Listen to Dan Restione on bringing back the cane
After several weeks with the stick, Restione says he has found many uses.
“You can applaud,” said Restione, pointing to the ability to make thumping noises on the ground. He says he also finds joy in pointing, or twirling the stick.
He’s even set on a best method for employing the stick while walking.
“This is the key. If you just try and walk with it, clump, clump, clump, clump, it doesn’t work,” said Restione. “You have to be not afraid to flourish.”
Restione explains his technique in detail: “As you step forward, you place the cane down with your right foot as you walk […] You have to swing it back, then swing it forward a little bit.” Restione says to get the timing right the cane should only come down on every third step.
“Try it and you will like it folks,” said Restione. “Let’s bring this back.”
Will you participate in the effort to bring back the cane?
By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor
