Love this as well, and one of the reasons I'm interested in the Sneaky Artist is to improve my observations skills in order to improve my writing.
Couple on the bench:
He looked away from her. The sun warmed his thighs and the bench insulted one particular vertebrae. They'd come here to talk away from the children.
Sheila sat too close for what she was saying. That it wasn't working. That she wasn't happy. She droned on and on, being diplomatic, while the sun shone and the birds chirped and he knew she would be leaving him in that blunt polite way of hers. He pictured himself taking his visits with the kids here in this very park.
He agreed with her. She pulled her long hair to one side. He pulled his hat down to shade his eyes. It was very bright. The day had made everything clear.
Clarissa was going through some things. She was fresh out of school (and a relationship), feeling jaded, and had just moved to a city where she didn’t know a soul. After a particularly horrid meeting (that really should’ve been an email), she clocked out early and fled for the serenity of a nearby park.
Not knowing what else to do, she pulled out her phone and started recording a voice message (a trick she learned from her always-just-soooo-together older sister) to keep as a reminder for later.
“Clarissa, I know…,” she whispered, almost bursting into tears. She pressed stop, and waited a minute to collect her thoughts. She looked around at the other people. What were they doing at the park at 11am? Were they having an existential crisis like she was?
Gathering up what seemed like the last ounce of emotional strength she had, she pressed record again. She spoke from the heart.
“Clarissa, I know life is hard right now. Growing up can really suck, but you’re tougher than you think. Everything is going to be okay.”
Max was well aware of the thin leash between him and Kevin - it seemed such a vulnerable connection in a big wide world full of things he did not quite understand.
"Where are we going?" Max asked, trying not to sound too anxious.
"Don't worry, I got you," Kevin said, as he trotted briskly towards his favourite garbage bin, excited by the smells of park and grass and rubbish and other dogs.
A late(?) entry for Lost in Deep Thought, Following the Road Downhill…
“By the time you reach the bottom, you’ll know exactly what to do.”
That’s what she had told herself at the top. She had even said it out loud, though not loud enough that anyone had overheard her.
She’d started there with a choice to make and every confidence that the walk would make it for her. That the clear air and happy chatter of the park in full sun would make everything obvious. “Of course!” she would think, rounding a flowerbed and nodding resolutely to herself. It could only ever have been that. Really, she had known it all along.
But as she threaded her way softly down, the decision seemed to get no closer. Past the man and his dog, and the woman and her daughter. Past the tight trio of friends, their easy laughter catching at something in her throat. Past the couple pressed close at one end of a bench. Past all of that, and still she didn’t know what to do.
She slowed her steps, but even so the bottom came eventually.
She ignored the ache in her legs and turned back toward the top. Again.
She pushed the baby along in the stroller, hurriedly. She thought taking the baby for a walk in the park was an excellent excuse to get out of the house and away from her life, if only for a little while. Out here there were no phones. No nagging relatives.
But her mind was still back there. Why did her mom have to call every day? Why did her Mom question every decision? "Can't she see thst I am doing the best that I can?" she thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the baby throwing a rattle from the stroller.
She sighed, and stopped to pick it up. Apparently, it was not quickly enough, as she heard an explosion of crying coming from the stroller. "Hold on, I'm doing the my best", she called out.
As she bent over and handed the rattle back to her daughter, she noticed the baby had stopped crying. She saw the sparkle in the baby's eyes and the joy on her giggling face as she played another round of "fetch" with Mommy.
She played with her daughter for quite awhile after that, being fully present in the moment. As they headed toward home, she found herself thinking about how she and her own mother probably bonded in similar ways when she herself was just a baby.
"Perhaps we are all just doing the best that we can", she thought.
Urban Hiker... training for a pilgrimage walk on the Via Francigena in Italy from Florence to Rome. "I keep reading about the hills... if I do this hill walk three times a week will I be ready? How do my feet feel in these new boots? Will I get blisters? What if I get lost? Is my Italian good enough? Retirement and aging are so hard, will this walk fill the void I now feel? "
The "I promise it's worth it" caught my attention.
I imagine it went something like this.
----
Its 11-something am on Wednesday, History class is in progress at the neighborhood high school. Ms. Chen is going on about the war.
"blah blah blah war..blah blah..Canada"
Mickey is sitting right there in the class but not really listening. It's a sunny day, the trees swishing making that comforting rustling noise, birds chirping...
"I bet it smells like spring, I wish I was outside."
*Trrriiing* The bell goes off *Triiingggg*
Mickey runs into Tina and Tom in the hallway.
"Sup?" ...."Helloo!" Reply Tina and Tom in unison.
Mickey - " you guys seem to be having a great day!"
Tina - "well not really, but we are looking forward to this afternoon"
"Um.. you mean math class?"
Tom leans and whispers "we're going to play hooky, maybe go to the park."
"What....? You're just going to skip school this afternoon?"
"Yeah, wanna come?"
"Um, what if we get caught.. um that doesn't seem right?"
"Dude, it's okay we won't, we did it last week too. We got it.
"Really? Okay.. I guess"
"Awesome, we leave now "
At the park.
Mickey - "okay here we are what are we going to do? Do you have a plan?"
Tom - "no we just walk around, look at the clouds passing by, watch the ducks, skip stones, talk to people...see how it goes!
" I promise you, it's worth it!" said Tina, oblivious to the sneaky artist listening in but mostly scratching away in his book.
Oh, this is such an amazing way to get the creative juices flowing!
CLICK!
Life had become really monotonous, and he felt himself getting stuck in a routine of waking up, going to work, relying on takeout, driving back home, and staying up late.
He realized he was getting bogged down in this Marsh of life. He felt like he was knee-deep in muck and struggling to move forward.
Just then, a yellow butterfly flitted past him, pausing momentarily to sniff his burger.
‘A butterfly?!’ he thought to himself.
He watched the butterfly and followed it into the park across the street. He smiled for the first time in a long while, feeling the sun on his face and the breeze caressing his cheek.
He grabbed his phone and took a picture of the butterfly. After all, the butterfly had managed to pull him out of the Marsh!
So glad this park is near the office - don’t know how I would cope without these lunchtime walks - didn’t think the job would be like this. How much longer I can take the competitive atmosphere? But what else to do? Could I really make a living with my art? Breath in..2,3,4, hold..2,3,4,5, exhale… 5,6,7.
I love your little people doing what people do. Observations of a moment. Refreshing in simplicity, more meaningful the more you look. Really wonderful work.
Love this as well, and one of the reasons I'm interested in the Sneaky Artist is to improve my observations skills in order to improve my writing.
Couple on the bench:
He looked away from her. The sun warmed his thighs and the bench insulted one particular vertebrae. They'd come here to talk away from the children.
Sheila sat too close for what she was saying. That it wasn't working. That she wasn't happy. She droned on and on, being diplomatic, while the sun shone and the birds chirped and he knew she would be leaving him in that blunt polite way of hers. He pictured himself taking his visits with the kids here in this very park.
He agreed with her. She pulled her long hair to one side. He pulled his hat down to shade his eyes. It was very bright. The day had made everything clear.
What a great story, you painted a wonderful picture. 🙌🏽
Thank you for the inspiration!
Recording for a future self:
Clarissa was going through some things. She was fresh out of school (and a relationship), feeling jaded, and had just moved to a city where she didn’t know a soul. After a particularly horrid meeting (that really should’ve been an email), she clocked out early and fled for the serenity of a nearby park.
Not knowing what else to do, she pulled out her phone and started recording a voice message (a trick she learned from her always-just-soooo-together older sister) to keep as a reminder for later.
“Clarissa, I know…,” she whispered, almost bursting into tears. She pressed stop, and waited a minute to collect her thoughts. She looked around at the other people. What were they doing at the park at 11am? Were they having an existential crisis like she was?
Gathering up what seemed like the last ounce of emotional strength she had, she pressed record again. She spoke from the heart.
“Clarissa, I know life is hard right now. Growing up can really suck, but you’re tougher than you think. Everything is going to be okay.”
What a touching story. Thank you for creating such a profound life moment for the tiny person.
Conversations.
Max was well aware of the thin leash between him and Kevin - it seemed such a vulnerable connection in a big wide world full of things he did not quite understand.
"Where are we going?" Max asked, trying not to sound too anxious.
"Don't worry, I got you," Kevin said, as he trotted briskly towards his favourite garbage bin, excited by the smells of park and grass and rubbish and other dogs.
Kevin knows what's up! It's a good point to ponder - who's walking and who's being walked!
I love this! Thank you for the opportunity to read and write a tiny story!
I’m choosing the mother daughter. Dialogue style story.
Mother: Thank you for getting me out of there.
Daughter: What was it is this time? Was it Craig? Delilah? The cat?
Mother: The room felt too…tight. Like the darkness was closing in.
Daughter: Thank you for calling me. Do you want to talk about finding a new apartment? Or do you just want to breathe?
Mother: I think I just want to be with the pink park flowers and with you. I’ll be ok. The room isn’t always tight. It isn’t always dark.
Daughter: *stands next to a giant bush full of pink blossoms*
Mother: *takes out a sketch book and starts drawing her daughter and the flowers*
Thank you, Wake, for bringing these tiny people to vivid life! Such a beautiful story. Time in nature is truly a healing opportunity. 🙏
It really really is. And with the ones you love. And I wanted to add a nod to the importance of art because my mother loves to be outside painting.
Thank you for bringing these tiny people to us.
You are most welcome. 🙌🏽
*Sweet ending.*
A late(?) entry for Lost in Deep Thought, Following the Road Downhill…
“By the time you reach the bottom, you’ll know exactly what to do.”
That’s what she had told herself at the top. She had even said it out loud, though not loud enough that anyone had overheard her.
She’d started there with a choice to make and every confidence that the walk would make it for her. That the clear air and happy chatter of the park in full sun would make everything obvious. “Of course!” she would think, rounding a flowerbed and nodding resolutely to herself. It could only ever have been that. Really, she had known it all along.
But as she threaded her way softly down, the decision seemed to get no closer. Past the man and his dog, and the woman and her daughter. Past the tight trio of friends, their easy laughter catching at something in her throat. Past the couple pressed close at one end of a bench. Past all of that, and still she didn’t know what to do.
She slowed her steps, but even so the bottom came eventually.
She ignored the ache in her legs and turned back toward the top. Again.
Beautiful!
Thank you! I really enjoyed your tiny people as a prompt, so many possibilities!
Oh, this is FABULOUS!!
Thank you!!!
Bonding Time
She pushed the baby along in the stroller, hurriedly. She thought taking the baby for a walk in the park was an excellent excuse to get out of the house and away from her life, if only for a little while. Out here there were no phones. No nagging relatives.
But her mind was still back there. Why did her mom have to call every day? Why did her Mom question every decision? "Can't she see thst I am doing the best that I can?" she thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the baby throwing a rattle from the stroller.
She sighed, and stopped to pick it up. Apparently, it was not quickly enough, as she heard an explosion of crying coming from the stroller. "Hold on, I'm doing the my best", she called out.
As she bent over and handed the rattle back to her daughter, she noticed the baby had stopped crying. She saw the sparkle in the baby's eyes and the joy on her giggling face as she played another round of "fetch" with Mommy.
She played with her daughter for quite awhile after that, being fully present in the moment. As they headed toward home, she found herself thinking about how she and her own mother probably bonded in similar ways when she herself was just a baby.
"Perhaps we are all just doing the best that we can", she thought.
Such a wonderful sentiment. I'm going through similar experiences, and it helps to remember that it's their first time being grandparents too!
I love where it turns with a sparkle.
Urban Hiker... training for a pilgrimage walk on the Via Francigena in Italy from Florence to Rome. "I keep reading about the hills... if I do this hill walk three times a week will I be ready? How do my feet feel in these new boots? Will I get blisters? What if I get lost? Is my Italian good enough? Retirement and aging are so hard, will this walk fill the void I now feel? "
So interesting! Vancouver is full of people training for various marathons, I suppose at least as many are also preparing for long walks!
The hiking poles reminded me of doing the Camino in Spain... that led to my own desires to walk the Via Francigena...and recent retirement, etc.
Wonderful! I hope you do walk it!
The "I promise it's worth it" caught my attention.
I imagine it went something like this.
----
Its 11-something am on Wednesday, History class is in progress at the neighborhood high school. Ms. Chen is going on about the war.
"blah blah blah war..blah blah..Canada"
Mickey is sitting right there in the class but not really listening. It's a sunny day, the trees swishing making that comforting rustling noise, birds chirping...
"I bet it smells like spring, I wish I was outside."
*Trrriiing* The bell goes off *Triiingggg*
Mickey runs into Tina and Tom in the hallway.
"Sup?" ...."Helloo!" Reply Tina and Tom in unison.
Mickey - " you guys seem to be having a great day!"
Tina - "well not really, but we are looking forward to this afternoon"
"Um.. you mean math class?"
Tom leans and whispers "we're going to play hooky, maybe go to the park."
"What....? You're just going to skip school this afternoon?"
"Yeah, wanna come?"
"Um, what if we get caught.. um that doesn't seem right?"
"Dude, it's okay we won't, we did it last week too. We got it.
"Really? Okay.. I guess"
"Awesome, we leave now "
At the park.
Mickey - "okay here we are what are we going to do? Do you have a plan?"
Tom - "no we just walk around, look at the clouds passing by, watch the ducks, skip stones, talk to people...see how it goes!
" I promise you, it's worth it!" said Tina, oblivious to the sneaky artist listening in but mostly scratching away in his book.
---
Lovely, Sola! Such a good reason to skip class. ❤️
Oh, this is such an amazing way to get the creative juices flowing!
CLICK!
Life had become really monotonous, and he felt himself getting stuck in a routine of waking up, going to work, relying on takeout, driving back home, and staying up late.
He realized he was getting bogged down in this Marsh of life. He felt like he was knee-deep in muck and struggling to move forward.
Just then, a yellow butterfly flitted past him, pausing momentarily to sniff his burger.
‘A butterfly?!’ he thought to himself.
He watched the butterfly and followed it into the park across the street. He smiled for the first time in a long while, feeling the sun on his face and the breeze caressing his cheek.
He grabbed his phone and took a picture of the butterfly. After all, the butterfly had managed to pull him out of the Marsh!
Beautiful! Something as simple as a butterfly can certainly pull you out of a funk. Nature heals. 🙌🏽
I love your tiny people, gives me inspiration!
I'm glad to hear that!
Post lunch quiet time -
So glad this park is near the office - don’t know how I would cope without these lunchtime walks - didn’t think the job would be like this. How much longer I can take the competitive atmosphere? But what else to do? Could I really make a living with my art? Breath in..2,3,4, hold..2,3,4,5, exhale… 5,6,7.
Thank you for this tiny story, Cindy. Nature is a good way to deal with the 'real world'.
Bonding time
“Here we go.” Says the mama.
“What. Wait. Who are you?!?” Thinks the baby.
“You and me and away we go.” Sings the mama.
“Whaaaaaaaa.”
We are just blurry-faced entertainers and service providers until a certain point! So fun to finally see the light of recognition in Rohan's eyes.
TOW PEOPLE ON A PARK BENCH
Her - It was really nick that guy gave us a hit from his weed
Him- Ya, I haven't had a good trip in years
Guy below them. Strangers coming up and asking for a hit from my joint. Cool, but I
bet they had no idea how strong this is.
Haha nice job connecting them! They were sitting not too far from one another actually.
Mum and daughter
Come on mummy ! Every day is a park day !
Phew!
Every day is a park day, so true! 🙌
Reminded me of the NYT's metropolitan diary!
https://www.nytimes.com/column/metropolitan-diary
I recently heard about that!
I love your little people doing what people do. Observations of a moment. Refreshing in simplicity, more meaningful the more you look. Really wonderful work.
Thank you! 🙏