Maple

6

The next day was the polar opposite of the last few. The sun was shining, people were everywhere with smiles on their faces, and I was traveling across town feeling alive. I was feeling vibrant. I was feeling pure. And for the love of everything, I was dry.

I wasn't afraid to get dirty either. I stopped by the park in the morning and ended up rolling around in the dew-drop grass for a while, staring up at the blue, blue sky. The sun was warm on my skin and not a cloud in sight. I wanted to soak it up while it lasted before everything would be grey and dark and unbearably cold. Who knows when I'd feel this again; if I'd ever feel this again.

And to make the day even sweeter, I wasn't alone. A boy with dark skin and curly brown hair rested beside me, his back against the grass and his eyes facing the sky. We stayed there in silence for a moment and then he started to sing.

I could hear kids playing on the structures in the distance and the last of the season's birds chirping above us, and beside me was a soothing voice like honey. He was

singing something about a young boy and his blues. It was heart-wrenching and beautiful, I could listen to him for hours.

Was he singing for me? Everything felt so good all of a sudden, even if the song was kind of sad. I could hear the strain in his voice when the emotions came through the lyrics.

"Every time I kiss somebody new I make believe I'm kissing you." His voice was as blue as the sky and as warm as the sun. I'm sure he was thinking of someone important while singing this song. Maybe it wasn't for me, but at least he felt comfortable enough to share this moment with a stranger. If I could, I'd sing along and tell him it'd be okay.

When he finished the song, a new one parted his lips. And it was just as pretty, but this time it wasn't so sad.

"Girl, put your record on, tell me your favorite song, you go ahead let your hair down..." I wanted so badly to have this one to be for me.
"You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow–"
"Kaleb!" A little girl's voice interrupted his singing and he sat up on his elbows. She

came running over in her purple overalls, her shoulder-length corn rows adorned with large colorful beads bouncing. She stopped, huffing from her jog, and poked his shoulder. "Kaleb, we're leaving!"

"Already?"
"Grandpa's getting us ice cream!" She squealed.
Almost as soon as she'd said it, Kaleb jumped up enthusiastically, took his sister's

hand, and then I was alone again. But I wasn't sad. Because I was hearing music in my head, and the sun was shining, and it was lovely.

You go ahead let your hair down.