The Park Issue

I’m old, so it’s important to get exercise every day. I usually take my dog for a walk. We drive to our local park. It’s a lovely way to start a day. Most days.

Our park is named Lake Park. It’s a lovely park, unfortunately there is no actual lake. The park land was donated to the town specifically for a park, back in nineteen twenty six, by Jonathan Alexander Lake. The powers then wanted to be sure Mr. Lake got credit, so they named the park after him. But they apparently thought Jonathan Alexander Lake Park was too long, so they just named it Lake Park.

We townsfolk all know the park well, so, there are no issues there. But other people periodically show up looking for the lake. They have canoes, row boats, kids in bathing suits, picnics, etc. And sometimes they show up in the mornings when there’s not a lot of people here. But Oscar and I are here.

After they can’t find the parking lot for the beach, they often park and walk around looking for help. It’s amazing that no matter how long they’ve been looking for the lake, they still have trouble believing when I tell them it doesn’t exist. And worse, that there’s actually no lake closer than twenty miles from here. Sometimes they get upset.

And so, I walk the park daily with a bag containing a wig, another coat, and sun glasses. If I see obvious “lake lookers” coming, I whip out my disguise. Poor Oscar goes in the bag. It works! I don’t look friendly, but if they ask anyway, I tell them it’s “over that way…” Then, as soon as they leave, I transform back to me. It works every time.

Us old ladies are excellent problem solvers…