Our Park

GEORGIA

I hang

Upside down off the bench

My curls

Rain onto the grass

In a beautiful waterfall

My legs go numb

Because I’ve been this way

For so long

My book held above my face

When the dog comes

My first thought

Is

Who the heck

Lets their crazy dog loose

In a public park?

Then I see the dog

And fall in love.

ROWAN

Most people

In the park

Have in earbuds

They hear the music

The words

Or whatever

But I listen

to

Birdsong

Leaves blowing with wind

Footfalls.

All that

Is interrupted

Dog barks

Streak of gold

Flashes.

My head turns

To watch.

GEORGIA

Sun colored fur

Curtains

His eyes

Perfect puppy eyes

Like sideways teardrops

The best color of brown.

Dirt dangles

Off everything

Leaves and moss,

Too.

Dirty paws

Step onto my face

ROWAN

Gold flashes across

The park,

And pauses

At a girl.

She’s been lying

Upsidedown

But she sits up

For him.

Maybe

The dog is hers.

Unlikely.

Is it awkward

To go and ask

If I can meet him?

(I’ve never been

A people person)

GEORGIA

A boy,

Nearly six feet tall,

Dark brown floppy hair,

And a green t-shirt,

Walks up to me.

Runs his fingers

Like a rake

Through his hair

Nervously.

“Is he yours?”

“No.”

Should I stop rubbing

Some random dog’s ears

And stand up?

Social stuff has never been easy

For me.

ROWAN

The girl

Studies the dog’s ears.

“I’m Rowan”

“I’m Georgia.”

She pulls her hand

Away from the tangled fur

Of the dog

Pushes it up to me.

I shake it,

Nervously.

GEORGIA

I thought

That the point of the park

Is to be away

From the awkwardness

That is everyday life.

I guess not.

The kid

Shakes my hand.

His are sweaty.

Mine probably are,

Too.

He sits down on the grass.

Uninvited.

Is that

What normal people do?

Just show up

And stay?

ROWAN

Her face says

That it’s weird

Of me

To just sit down like that.

One of those times

When I wasn’t thinking.

Now,

Should I leave?

That’s awkward,

Right?

GEORGIA

“You can stay,

Like,

If you want.”

That sounds weird,

Right?

It already

Came out.

Nothing I can do.

Green shirt smiles

And reaches

To pet the dog’s tangled fur.

“He should get a bath,

Go to the vet,

Maybe?”

The boy asks

“I’ve got time,

If you do.”

ROWAN

Now, we walk

Click clack

Down the side walk.

Reach the School St. sign

Before she says anything

“Do you

Go to the park much?”

“Every day.

I never

Have anywhere better to be.”

She nods

“There isn’t much better

Than there.

Not, that I would mind

Having..friends.”

She smiles

I know I like her.

“We can be friends,

Right?”

Her voice breaks

When she says

Friends

And she returns

To studying the dog

As we walk.

“Of course.”