I see this moment. Beautiful. No. Not like that Victoria's Secret Model photshopped to a deity where people hold themselves to. No there's this old man.
He's alone. He's always alone. He pushes a cart of balloons around the park and gives them out. He used to work at the zoo there which is why he's allowed to do so. He's always smiling. Happy. Content. He likes to hear the sounds of happy children or the astonishment they have when they see a new animal. Sometimes he makes a loop and rests on a bench where he can sit near the entrance of the park's zoo.
This time he's not alone. There's a little girl. She's crying. Her cheeks are red and her face wet. She's upset. She can't say why but her hiccups say everything. The Old Man sees her. He hesitates. He's not sure what to do. He's an Old Man who hands out balloons and balloon animals. But she's a child in need. This disturbance makes him want to have her smile and laugh. So he rolls his cart over and greets her.
"Hello." He says, pausing by the bench. The girl sniffles and says nothing. She peeks out from under her hair and sees him but does not show that she sees him. She was told never to speak to strangers.
"May I have a seat with you? I promise I'll stay on this side of the bench." She nods, smiling a bit at the way he asked, almost treating her like a person. Not like a child. Perhaps a Princess or royalty. The man sits and pushes his cart in front of him. The balloons shading them both from the sun slightly while glinting like bright jewels in the light. The girl notices. She wants one. She says nothing though. They sit in silence for a while. The girl stopped crying. She's simply moody now.
A boy runs up. He calls out to the Old Man, Mr. McGregor. They talk and a tall woman watches from afar. She's the boy's mother. Her name is Janet. Tall, slim and brunette. She's biting back a smile as she stands next to me. She doesn't know I'm there. She just sees her son, Daniel, talking to Mr. McGregor. The man who used to give her balloons as a child when he worker at the Zoo.
Daniel pays for a balloon but notices the girl is eyeing his. "How come you're sad?" Daniel asks the girl who shyly plays with her fingers before whispering her answer. "What?" Says Daniel, looking up, mouth open and face twisted in confusion. "You have to talk louder. I can't hear."
"I lost my Balloon." The girl says quietly but a bit more loudly. "My Mommy said to hold onto it in case I got lost but I got lost and lost the balloon too."
"Oh." Says Daniel, his mouth making an O shape with his words. He then runs back to Janet. Out of breath, he tugs on her shirt and points to McGregor. She laughs and tells him he only needs one. "Not for me!" He whines to Janet. "For her!"
Janet sees the girl. Clearly now. Alone. Sad. A part of her is moved. She is a Mother. She looks to Daniel and then the girl. She's worried now. She takes Daniel by the hand and lets him pull her over. She gives McGregor a small wave who nods knowingly to her, glancing sideways at the girl. The message isn't spoken but it's there. It's loud and I can hear it. It's beautiful.
"This is my Mom!" Daniel says to the girl. Janet swells with pride and a bit of laughter. McGregor smiles at Daniel's antics but says nothing. He knows why he's there. "She can help." Daniel says turning to his Mother. "Right, Mom?"
Janet stoops to the girl's level. "Hi." She says quietly to the girl, smiling. Janet's worried. Her motherly instincts wanting to embrace the girl and tell her it will be alright. She holds back. She does not know the girl but she wants to help.
"Hello." The girl replies. She tells Janet what happened and soon they're buying the girl, Amanda, a ruby red balloon. This time they tie it to Amanda's wrist so it does not get lost. Right after Daniel asks if she wants to play and she agrees. Daniel demands McGregor make them swords and crowns and shields so they may be Balloon Knights and Princesses. McGregor agrees and he begins to fashion them gear to play with.
More children come. The parents greet one another. No one is a stranger to one another. They come to the park and enjoy it as their kids play with another. Soon a whole war has broken out and boys are whacking each other with balloons while girls jump in or try to assert a new rule to where everyone can have fun. McGregor is happy. The kids are laughing and smiling and Amanda is enjoying herself.
Amanda's Mother arrives. Panicked. Breathless. Worried. She stands by me and sees Amanda. She wants to call to her but stops. She's choking. Caught between happiness and sadness. She's not sure whether to be mad or relieved.
"She's fine." I tell her. "She's playing and she's happy. All these people did what they could to make her feel happy and welcome. Go easy on her a bit. Say hello. They'll understand."
She can not see me. She can not hear me. She does however feel my words. She takes a breath and walks over greeting Janet of all the Mothers and smiles, trying not to laugh, still choking on her emotion. Janet understands. She gives the woman a hug and they talk. Little by little Amanda's Mother meets everyone. She gets to see her little girl play happily with other kids. She's new to the area and they now. They help her fit in with them. They make her welcome. She's a person.
Amanda sees their Mom. They hug and have a quick talk. Amanda tells her Mother everything. From the Balloon to getting lost to McGregor. McGregor, still sitting at the bench watching the children play with the balloons. Happy he could simply make them smile.
Amanda's Mother moves to thank McGregor. They greet one another and-
"Excuse me?" I'm not there. I'm at a register. The only one. I'm at work. The only one working the register. There's a woman here. She asks for the price of our lettuce. I tell her. She says it's too expensive and leaves it on the counter, walking out with a huff. Doesn't bother to put it back.
I put back the lettuce and check my phone. What I've written so far is on screen. I want to change it. I want to make it better. Add more. Fix this and that-
I don't though. Why? Because it's already beautiful. If I change it, then it won't be the same. That wouldn't make me happy. I settle for a happy medium. I type out what I just experienced and then decide to add a bit of something personal. A ribbon to a nice present.
I can not be there. I could place myself there but it would be an avatar. That would be different. That wouldn't be me.
I could change it. Then it wouldn't be the same. It would be different and who's to say I would like the other versions more? It would stress me out to choose. I would destroy it and then wallow.
I end it there. There's no reason to continue. At least, that is how I feel. I will let them continue their own stories. Let them finish their day how they want.
Now, I decide I want some of that delicious Sphaghetti my work's cook has made. Can't pass that up.
