There is a man who used to be alone at the park.
I had observed him many times before actually speaking with him ... white hair under his usual, but not always ball cap, he's a snappy dresser ... invariably he wears what one would expect to see men at the nicer country clubs ... oh! wait this might make his style clearer, he looks like an older Ralph Lauren "guy", he's sporty, but he's not advertising for anyone.
I like that about men just older than me. My dad was like that.
The park is basically a meandering path which is usually wide enough to accommodate walkers and runners with strollers and/or leashed dogs, and bicyclist. It crisscrosses over a fairly wide (for Texas) waterway and there are plenty of areas along the way where people can sit or feed ducks. Some of the regulars never look up from their STARBUCKS and device. Others seem to plan ahead to meet up with their walking buddies.
The early morning park people have formed a bit of a loosely woven little community. We pick up little bits from each other when we stop to let our dogs sniff each other ... mostly assumptions, but some of it fact.
Either from his account, or from information shared by a peculiar woman who likes to walk (and talk) with everyone by turns, or from my own observation, I've come to know that Henry is retired, from what/where I do not remember, is married (his wife is well) and has one daughter living in the area. He did golf, but bum knees and a shoulder injury (fact) made it not fun (assumption). He also thinks it's perfectly fine for me to spend my time on the golf course "fishing for golfballs in the water hazards" which my husband frowns on. He said so when the three of us were visiting ... visiting under the guise of me checking on him. I've decided I like him. My husband would sooner not stop to visit with the guy. Lol, Henry recently said, don't mind me, I know I walk a lot slower than y'all do ... . He does.
Sometimes he walks with a snazzy titanium stick/staff/cane/pole.
He smiled when I called it a lightsaber first time I saw him with it. We saw him using it more often ... then, one day from a ways off I thought I saw him but wasn't sure. Is that Henry up the way, I wondered.
It was him and he didn't look well.
He also arrives at the park most days with a pocket full of dog treats!
I think that's why I really noticed him in the first place. Almost every dog in the park couldn't be tail-waggedy happier to see him. Initially I didn't know about the treats.
I think it's super sweet. He asked me if my dog would like to be treated. I was hopeful, but Max declined. For one thing he's not food motivated, but the other is I think he's unsure about accepting treats from a stranger. He's shy and not very treat motivated I explained.
Pyrs are super friendly, but not needy, they like to "touch base" and then be on their way. Most often Max seems so focused on his own dog business that you'd never imagine how observant he is. Also a trait of the breed.
He's loyal above all. My dog, not sure about Henry.
After the Covid-19 thing happened and people were required to social distance I noticed that Henry was walking slower and stooped over. If this is as bad as they're telling us it will be, we'll lose Henry during this, I mentioned to my husband. I don't know what the rest of his life looks like, his truck probably has seat warmers and the whole lux package, but when I see him he is alone.
Alone, but interesting and friendly enough to be good company.
For days at a time we don't see Henry and I seem to fret a bit more these days than I did before, so I was really tickled one day during the pause to see Henry walking with a beautifully elegant, vivacious (I heard her laughing as we neared and I saw her playfully nudge his elbow) woman, I'd guess ten years younger than what I'd guess Henry to be age-wise (more assumptions).
Henry was not stooped over at all. He must have left the lightsaber in his truck. The sound of his laughter was delightful. He's just the kind of guy who you want to see happy.
As we approached he waved us over for a chat ... six feet apart per the norms of the day (update there btw: still good with the distance though I have promised Henry a jar of my garden salsa (and a bag of chips) when I can delivery it from my hand to his someday ... Henry introduced his walking buddy to us. They are having a great time together, I thought, also that I was glad she had come out for a walk. He seemed like he'd be up for twilight bicycle rides as soon as the curfews were lifted around the park.
Severals weeks of this, noticing them enjoying each other while they walked, went by (about three months) and Henry had never looked better. I hadn't mentioned his dog earlier, but even his dog who had seemed bored with retirement and tended to drag behind slowing Henry down even further - that dog was "reinvigorated"!
"Boy, Henry seems like a new man now that his wife is able to walk with him ... at least these shelter in place orders are giving people time away form work so that they can take time for each other ... I said that with a happy face as the lady who walks and talks with everyone approached me. I think my eyebrows might have gone up a smidge higher than my regular smile requires when that lady quickly responded -
"Oh! That's not his wife - that's his neighbor.
It didn't even feel gossipy.
I'm the new kid in the park - these people have been enjoying this park for years. They do actually probably know each other. I on the other hand tend to be a bit like my dog - friendly yet oddly detached, observing. I especially like that they enjoy keeping company together. They both seemed to benefit from their walk together.
"Well good for them!” Even their dogs do well together. I like that they can enjoy a friendship.
The lady who walks and talks with every one walked on.
On a different day she actually told me that her dog is "the Alpha female" and even bosses "her home from college daughter" around.
I try to pace myself when I see her coming. There's some weird out there in the park.
I told my husband that it seemed nice for neighbors to walk together in the park like that. It's fun to see them laughing together ... sweet to have friends. He agreed.
I haven't seen her at all this week and it's already Thursday. Maybe she's back at work, or able to travel.
I don't know where she is but Henry is doing fine. Hope to see her out there again someday.
In other news, I am watching Anne with an E on NETFLIX and enjoying it very much.
Been looking for some favorite quotes from the book. I read it so long ago that I've forgotten when and I'm not sure if I'm remembering the plot sometimes or just responding to the foreshadowing.
I had observed him many times before actually speaking with him ... white hair under his usual, but not always ball cap, he's a snappy dresser ... invariably he wears what one would expect to see men at the nicer country clubs ... oh! wait this might make his style clearer, he looks like an older Ralph Lauren "guy", he's sporty, but he's not advertising for anyone.
I like that about men just older than me. My dad was like that.
The park is basically a meandering path which is usually wide enough to accommodate walkers and runners with strollers and/or leashed dogs, and bicyclist. It crisscrosses over a fairly wide (for Texas) waterway and there are plenty of areas along the way where people can sit or feed ducks. Some of the regulars never look up from their STARBUCKS and device. Others seem to plan ahead to meet up with their walking buddies.
The early morning park people have formed a bit of a loosely woven little community. We pick up little bits from each other when we stop to let our dogs sniff each other ... mostly assumptions, but some of it fact.
Either from his account, or from information shared by a peculiar woman who likes to walk (and talk) with everyone by turns, or from my own observation, I've come to know that Henry is retired, from what/where I do not remember, is married (his wife is well) and has one daughter living in the area. He did golf, but bum knees and a shoulder injury (fact) made it not fun (assumption). He also thinks it's perfectly fine for me to spend my time on the golf course "fishing for golfballs in the water hazards" which my husband frowns on. He said so when the three of us were visiting ... visiting under the guise of me checking on him. I've decided I like him. My husband would sooner not stop to visit with the guy. Lol, Henry recently said, don't mind me, I know I walk a lot slower than y'all do ... . He does.
Sometimes he walks with a snazzy titanium stick/staff/cane/pole.
He smiled when I called it a lightsaber first time I saw him with it. We saw him using it more often ... then, one day from a ways off I thought I saw him but wasn't sure. Is that Henry up the way, I wondered.
It was him and he didn't look well.
He also arrives at the park most days with a pocket full of dog treats!
I think that's why I really noticed him in the first place. Almost every dog in the park couldn't be tail-waggedy happier to see him. Initially I didn't know about the treats.
I think it's super sweet. He asked me if my dog would like to be treated. I was hopeful, but Max declined. For one thing he's not food motivated, but the other is I think he's unsure about accepting treats from a stranger. He's shy and not very treat motivated I explained.
Pyrs are super friendly, but not needy, they like to "touch base" and then be on their way. Most often Max seems so focused on his own dog business that you'd never imagine how observant he is. Also a trait of the breed.
He's loyal above all. My dog, not sure about Henry.
After the Covid-19 thing happened and people were required to social distance I noticed that Henry was walking slower and stooped over. If this is as bad as they're telling us it will be, we'll lose Henry during this, I mentioned to my husband. I don't know what the rest of his life looks like, his truck probably has seat warmers and the whole lux package, but when I see him he is alone.
Alone, but interesting and friendly enough to be good company.
For days at a time we don't see Henry and I seem to fret a bit more these days than I did before, so I was really tickled one day during the pause to see Henry walking with a beautifully elegant, vivacious (I heard her laughing as we neared and I saw her playfully nudge his elbow) woman, I'd guess ten years younger than what I'd guess Henry to be age-wise (more assumptions).
Henry was not stooped over at all. He must have left the lightsaber in his truck. The sound of his laughter was delightful. He's just the kind of guy who you want to see happy.
As we approached he waved us over for a chat ... six feet apart per the norms of the day (update there btw: still good with the distance though I have promised Henry a jar of my garden salsa (and a bag of chips) when I can delivery it from my hand to his someday ... Henry introduced his walking buddy to us. They are having a great time together, I thought, also that I was glad she had come out for a walk. He seemed like he'd be up for twilight bicycle rides as soon as the curfews were lifted around the park.
Severals weeks of this, noticing them enjoying each other while they walked, went by (about three months) and Henry had never looked better. I hadn't mentioned his dog earlier, but even his dog who had seemed bored with retirement and tended to drag behind slowing Henry down even further - that dog was "reinvigorated"!
"Boy, Henry seems like a new man now that his wife is able to walk with him ... at least these shelter in place orders are giving people time away form work so that they can take time for each other ... I said that with a happy face as the lady who walks and talks with everyone approached me. I think my eyebrows might have gone up a smidge higher than my regular smile requires when that lady quickly responded -
"Oh! That's not his wife - that's his neighbor.
It didn't even feel gossipy.
I'm the new kid in the park - these people have been enjoying this park for years. They do actually probably know each other. I on the other hand tend to be a bit like my dog - friendly yet oddly detached, observing. I especially like that they enjoy keeping company together. They both seemed to benefit from their walk together.
"Well good for them!” Even their dogs do well together. I like that they can enjoy a friendship.
The lady who walks and talks with every one walked on.
On a different day she actually told me that her dog is "the Alpha female" and even bosses "her home from college daughter" around.
I try to pace myself when I see her coming. There's some weird out there in the park.
I told my husband that it seemed nice for neighbors to walk together in the park like that. It's fun to see them laughing together ... sweet to have friends. He agreed.
I haven't seen her at all this week and it's already Thursday. Maybe she's back at work, or able to travel.
I don't know where she is but Henry is doing fine. Hope to see her out there again someday.
In other news, I am watching Anne with an E on NETFLIX and enjoying it very much.
Been looking for some favorite quotes from the book. I read it so long ago that I've forgotten when and I'm not sure if I'm remembering the plot sometimes or just responding to the foreshadowing.
“Oh, look, here’s a big bee just tumbled out of an apple blossom. Just think what a lovely place to live–in an apple blossom! Fancy going to sleep in it when the wind was rocking it. If I wasn’t a human girl, I think I’d like to be a bee and live among the flowers.”
“I’ve done my best, and I begin to understand what is meant by ‘the joy of strife’. Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing.”
“I've just been imagining that it was really me you wanted after all and that I was to stay here for ever and ever. It was a great comfort while it lasted. But the worst of imagining things is that the time comes when you have to stop and that hurts.”
~L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables.
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