The client was a very nice male with a good humor in his mid-30's. He was the epitome of Mr. Casual. Mister Laid Back. Sir Cool, Calm and Jimmy-Buffet-Envies-Me relaxed. He was so tension free that it almost seemed like a practical joke that he had scheduled a massage. No stress patterns in his muscles anywhere.

I was both impressed and confused.

When I reached his feet, I would remain both impressed and confused but for different reasons. It was there that I discovered that he was so relaxed because every ounce of tension in his body had been hiding in his feet instead. His feet were so tight that they were like size 10 bricks with toes attached. And those toes were gripped into a curl so tight that you could have used them to open beer bottles. 

Needless to say, I had to ask the obvious question.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly do you do for work?", I was hoping that his job would give an explanation. His answer did not disappoint.

"Oh," he said casually, "I am a driving education instructor."

"Oh my god!" I said as I burst out laughing. "That makes all kinds of sense why you are so relaxed from the ankles up, but more tightly wound than a steel coil from the ankles down!

 "Never let them see you sweat" is a famous tag line from a 1980's anti-perspirant commercial. It seems that more true words were never spoken for driver's ed instructors. After all, would YOU want to see your driver's education instructor white with terror and near panic with every near-collision and driving error while he was riding as a passenger in the car with you? Me neither!

The moral of this story is that the body never lies. If your driver's ed instructor seems very calm and relaxed, it is probably a safe bet that his/her feet are telling a completely and more true story about how they actually feel about your driving. LOL