Colby really didn't want to go with his mother to the picnic downtown but she had dragged him from his dark room and into the car before he could do anything about it. To Colby the picnic was boring, as he had attended the one last year. Everyone from the community comes together and grills hamburgers and hotdogs, little kids get to sell lemonade for a dollar and they have an apple pie eating contest. Colby had grown old of the event a few years ago when all his friends stopped going and after his brother died. It was just more human interaction that he hated. He somehow managed to get out of going a few times but each year his mother would try to pry him out of his room and into the world. She had succeeded this time.
So Colby leaned against the door, a frown on his face as his mother drove past the field where the picnic was taking place. Kids were already running around in the heat of the day, adults mingling by the grills talking like they hadn't seen each other yesterday. He knew most everyone in his neighborhood so it made no sense for him to come. Tables were set up sporadically, some with plates and food, others vacated.
"Now Colby, act like you want to be here," his mother said once pulling into an empty parking spot. Colby rolls his eyes and opens the car door. He walks around to the trunk as his mother starts handing him trays of food. He holds the three trays while his mother carries two more.
"This way," she calls him. He follows behind her slowly, dragging his feet, wishing he could just go home. They pass a few people on their way to the tables. "What did you bring this year?" They all asked and each time his mother would reply, "The usual."
The usual was two trays of macaroni and cheese, one tray of green bean casserole and the last two trays were her famous chocolate chip cookies. Everyone always loved Colby's mothers cookies, so she always brings two trays.
As Colby walked behind his mother, he glanced at the tiny playground near the pond. He had many memories playing there as a child with his older brother, swimming in the pond with his friends. Colby missed those days where he didn't have a care in the world and he could play until sunset. He noticed little kids running up the steps to slide down the slide, kids climbing the monkey bars. They shouted to one another and he envied their smiles and laughter. A movement near the oak tree by the pond caught his eye.
A smaller boy with blonde hair was bent over picking at the grass by the trees roots. He was clothed in black jeans and a white shirt. And it looked like he was wearing a hat of some sort. Colby's never seen him before and he wondered where he lived.
"Colby, hurry up," he heard his mother shout. Colby turned away from the boy and saw his mother had already made it to the table. While he was looking at the mysterious boy, Colby had stopped in his tracks. He hurried and caught up with her, setting the three trays down. He watched her organize them with the other trays. Colby's mother was very friendly unlike him and he watched as she chatted with the people near her.
"Colby dear, why don't you get yourself something to eat," his mother said. It was about an hour later, Colby had found himself a shady spot and was laying on his back. He left his mother to do the talking. Colby sits up to see a soft smile on her face, she herself was holding a bowl of salad.
He doesn't respond instead gets up and makes his way over to the grill, where most of the men are. He spots the blonde boy again and this time Colby can fully see him. He had baby blue eyes that shinned in the sunlight, dimples when he spoke and sitting atop his blonde locks was a flower crown, not a hat.
"Hotdog or hamburger son?" A deep voice broke his attention from the smaller boy and he looked at the man. The man who spoke was pointing down at the plate of food, waiting for Colby to make a decision. Colby points to the hotdog and the man picks one up and places it on his plate. Colby walks to the condiment table and loads his hotdog with ketchup.
