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Signs of Life


 

It began with a mistake, of sorts. A friend and I were going to meet at Queen Takes Book for some bookstore noodling around, then pop across the parking lot for lunch at Bon Fresco. But we had not reckoned with the possibility that Bon Fresco might be closed for Memorial Day. 

It was.

We discussed nearby options but wondered if they, too, might be closed. Then, opportunity presented itself. We just sat down.


Image from Instagram, Morgan @anaveragereader


I have wondered in the past why there were tables and chairs in front of a bookstore. They don’t serve food or drink, so - - why do that?

It turns out that on a lovely day in May when you have goofed on your lunch plans you can sit down with a friend and catch up on everything. Bliss.

So many places go to extreme lengths to remove anything that might encourage “loitering” these days. It’s quite a different feeling when you enter a space which is saying, quite deliberately, “you are welcome.”

***** 

My route home took me past the Stevens Forest pool: a wildly popular choice, from the looks of the overflow parking situation. The same was true of Laura’s Place playground at Blandair. It gave me a good feeling to see that very simple act of being outside, playing, enjoying the weather. These may be things that people in our community have always done but right now they feel especially beautiful.

*****


After dinner, while it was still light, I opened the front door to bring in a package and heard a sound I hadn’t heard in a while. Then a flurry of activity in the common area in front of our house revealed the source: it was children, playing. 

As I turned to go back in the house the breeze brought a scent that stopped me for a second. Of course: backyard barbecue. 

These may be things that people in our community have always done but right now they feel like essential signs of life.


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