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Saturday, August 30, 2008

Summer Afternoon In People's Park

Warm late summer afternoon. I am sitting in People’s Park. Across from me a man andwoman are sitting talking.

Cars pass by. You can tell this park is located in a very alive neighborhood. Folks in cars greet each other with a sweet, saucy beep of their horns.

Behind me I can hear a child’s voice. A child and woman are coming by. They are right behind me. Good. The child is having a chance to try out the slide. I remember those slides when I was a little boy in Houston. Up the ladder, sitting carefully down, and then letting go, laughing and being scared at the same time. Too cool!




The wind is blowing on my neck and dancing merrily with the trees in front of me. Thank goodness for that breeze because when it stops the hot sun burns away at the back of my neck.

The street in front of me is very busy, the street to my right even busier. I am amazed at the number of trucks I see on these streets.

My step dad had a pickup truck which he used to do work around the neighborhood after he retired. His weak heart finally led him to let go of those jobs. But he drove that truck, Monday through Saturday. On Sunday he drove Mom around in their big, beautiful Buick.

Great driver, faithful husband--- I liked him.



The lady who was sitting at that table… just came back out of the building and she smiles beautifully. She shouts at the fellow she had been talking to at the table. He was about a half a block away from her. He is wearing earphones. He must not have been listening to music; he heard her, came back, and they continued their walk.



Now two young women with a baby stroller have come to the park. One of them has placed a little baby in a swing. That toddler cannot be older than eight to ten months.
I love the wonderful way she smiles at the baby. The baby is a quiet, sweet little boy. The other woman is sitting on a park bench with the baby carriage. She is watching patiently.
Now the woman is taking the little boy to the slide. She is going to slide down with him. Thank the Lord for loving women. Her friend is still sitting with the baby carriage. Quiet, patient woman, she is for sure.


Where is that breeze? Late summer and that sun is cooking me.

3 comments:

Stephanie Frieze said...

Thanks for the walk in the park, Joseph. I will be babysitting my granddaughter in a couple of weeks and we may have to hit People's Park. It is delicious to sup from the last of Summer's weather, saving it up for the Fall and Winter ahead.

Lorraine Hart said...

Let's hear it for parks...and people watching...and sitting on a bench, taking time to notice. Nice mood piece Joseph!

Here I'd like to give a little shout-out to the volunteers who have been working to put up a shelter and play-equipment for kids in Home Park this last month!

Google Key Peninsula News for Hugh MacMillan's article on the park.

Remember everyone, pants in socks...and a tick check after every visit to the park!

Kim Thompson said...

I showed this piece to my son, Joseph. He thought it was cool. He thought you were cool for writing this.