The Bench... Second Time Around

I was out and about doing my thing the other day and I ran into that old guy who sits on the bench by the park. I was thinking about him recently and (bam!) there he was... funny how that happens sometimes. Right when you are thinking about a person they walk right in front of you.

So here I am doing my errands and when I look up there he is, shaking his fist at the world. I don't think there was anything around that needed a fist shaking at it, but I think sometimes he does it just to get it out of his system privately. That way he can put up with the occasional person who trespasses on his bench. As I neared, his eyes turned toward me. Oh they were ablaze with the fire of his convictions. "And YOU!" He bellowed. "You told me to go take a whirl on the rides and against my better judgment I did. Do you know what happened? I got dizzy. I got nauseous. I was disoriented. I was whipped this way and that way, I was tossed like a rag doll, I got bumped and bruised. It was exhilarating, really blew the stink off me" Cautiously I approached the bench guy. He seemed to be bitching me out at the same time that he was thanking me, so I think a cautious approach works in this type of situation.

He continues on with his story. He told me how he didn't think that he would want to go on the rides everyday, but that he was glad he tried it. In fact he was starting to think he might want to take a twirl on a whirling dervish again very soon. Every word he spoke brought me a little bit closer to his bench. I found myself perched on the edge, totally engrossed in his words. He told me how great it was to soar into the sky only to rush straight toward the ground and how amazing it was to not hit the ground but to swoop up into a loop d loop. He laughed he whooped and hollered. He held on tight. When the ride ended is when he felt all of the disorientation, the chili dog creeping up hoping to make a second appearance, the ground swelling and heaving under foot. How quick we are to forget the great feelings.

It was an almost imperceptible change as it happened. The blaze in his eyes mellowed to a warmth, I relaxed onto the bench taking in the scene around me, he offered up a mini donut from the bag. He almost cringed as I reached in; it made him that uncomfortable to share.

But like riding the whirling dervish he found the courage to do it anyways.