Park Walk

Park Walk

Walking around the park early is how I get my daily exercise. I go early enough to miss most of the other people. Not much of a people person. I always wondered if I was actually supposed to be a person at all. I believe I would have been a lot better at being something else, something that didn’t require socializing.

This morning the path was wet from an evening shower. It cleans off all the drips from ice cream, or spit, or worse. Somedays I need to scrub the soles of my sneakers when I get home if I haven’t been paying attention! Anyway, I noticed a line of prints that weaved off the soft ground onto the sidewalk and back. Thinking a bird, I got closer to see, but it was actually footprints, of a very small foot. But only a left foot.

The prints appeared as if someone, very small, was walking, someone with two left feet, and the person was wandering on and off the sidewalk. Drunk maybe? I chuckled out loud at the thought.
“What are you laughing at?” came a high creepy voice from the bushes. I jumped a mile! But then I got angry! Was this some kind of a joke? Or worse a shake-down of old ladies at the park! So, I yelled back, “You, old coot!” in my meanest voice!

There was a moment of silence, and then an orange light shot up out of the bush straight into the stratosphere! Blew me right over, and blowing away the footprints!

“Mrs. Bell,” Officer Trent said softly, “the Park Commission has told you time and time again you are not allowed in before six am.”

“And now we know why!” Mrs. Bell yelled.

Against policy, Officer Trent burst out laughing.