Stranger in the park

The man has been sitting there for almost an hour, he is a heavyset man with brown hair and 2 day stubble. He looks disheveled and dirty and he’s sweating. He’s sitting on a park bench, looking around suspiciously. I’d noticed him when my daughter and I first got to the park, and have been keeping an eye on him. He’d looked panicked, and pulled out the dirty crumpled paper out of his pocket. He’d also pulled out a handkerchief, grey with dirt and use. He wiped his sweaty brow with it and replaced it in his pocket. He unfolded the paper, rubbing  it on his knee; trying in vain to smooth it. He read it and then refolded it and put it back in his pocket. He sighed and visibly relaxed. Even across the playground I could see the change. 

What was on that paper? I wondered.

“What was on that paper?” my daughter asked, just as aware of the strange situation as I was. Her dad was right, she was just like me.

“Lily, it isn’t nice to get into other people’s business. That man deserves to be left alone, if he wants.” I scolded, gently. Lily got that familiar look on her face and I knew there were questions coming.

“But, how do we know he wants to be left alone? Why were you staring if we aren’t supposed to? How do we know he doesn’t want a friend? Or is waiting for his little girl to come play with him? Maybe he is divorced and the wife is keeping his children from him and they wrote him a secret letter and he’s waiting here for them to sneak out and come see him.” Her voice trailed off, but I could tell she was still thinking.

“We shouldn’t assume any of those things. He’s a stranger.”

“Yeah, but, mom, if we don’t talk to people then everyone is a stranger!” She started to walk over to him. I looked at her target, who was still much calmer and grabbed at her. I wasn’t sure about this. My fingers grazed her shirt and she kept walking. I’m sure she knew that I’d stop her if I’d grabbed her.

“Lily!” I hissed, trying not to alert the man to our conversation, “get back here!”

“It’s ok mom. One second.” I didn’t fight it any longer. I knew she was going. I figured as long as I was close enough to see them that she would be ok. She stopped a few feet from him. Close enough to talk, not close enough to be touched. I sighed inwardly that she was at least that smart. I saw them talk for a moment before she nodded her head and started walking back to me.

“He’s an out of work clown and there are auditions here next week. He’s checking out the layout of the park and trying to decide what to do. He’s real nervous, he said he needs this job and is out of money.”

“He’s a clown?” I looked at the dirty man, trying to find humor anywhere in the scene.

“Well not NOW!” she answered. “He’s only a clown when he’s working.” She walked back to the swings, climbed on and started pumping her legs. He body moved higher and higher as she swung. I marveled at my little girl. So grown and yet so young.