The Park

We went to lunch at the park today.


Every time we have gone to lunch there.. we see this man. He is middle aged, sitting in his burgundy colored Cadillac Eldorado. He parks in the same space and sits for an hour or so. Maybe he has lunch, or maybe he takes a nap. He doesn't get out of his car, he just sits there. I think he is a salesman and he works in the area. I saw him once at the gas station. I recognized the car. He wore a short sleeve shirt and a tie. He must love this time to himself, watching the clouds go by or the wind blowing the trees in front of him. Maybe he dreams of a life far from this little park. This park is a pretty good hiding place. Nobody will come up to him to shake his hand, nobody to smile a fake smile at. He can relax in his Caddy and dream of another time or another place, or just do nothing at all.


We walked across the grass to a picnic table. I brought a towel, just in case the bench was dirty. It was a little windy today, but the sun came out for a bit and warmed our backs. I commented on how the tree in front of us had a square trunk and how beautiful it was. I wondered what it would like in my backyard.


After lunch, as we were walking back to the car, I noticed an envelope on the ground.. with some writing on it. I had to see what it said as the writing was in Crayon. It said "I was talkin about the weed and here is the 2 J's that I owe ya" Hmmm... I left the envelope where it was. Kicked it with my foot.


A small group of kids walked across the park.. not in school.. not on their way to work.. on their way to no good I would guess, baggy jeans.. baggy jackets, baseball hats askew.


As we got back to the car, I noticed a woman in the car next to us.. She was laying back in the seat of her car, listening to The Beatles... 'Don't let me down.. don't let me down..." she was smoking, but it wasn't a cigarette.. it was a joint..(how did I know it was a joint? I didn't, but it was the way she was holding it..you know? she was pinching the end and trying to get every last bit of it smoked) She looked up at us and then clicked the button on the side of the seat so she could sink back lower and not be seen. I looked away.


On the way out of the park, we noticed a couple.. they were sitting very close to each other.. very close.. right out there in the open.. making out. I guess... even in the open, there is a certain amount of anonymity in this park.


You know.. I could probably go and watch people everyday..


I wonder if the man in the Caddy has noticed us.