“Am I bothering you?”
“Good walk?”
“Ummm.”
“Something’s on your mind.”
“Some things on everyone’s minds.”
Comes the rhythm of crickets. With them light fading. Little homily:
“Lately I have been thinking how wrong we usually have it. So much talk of crime and selfishness, hurt and wrong, when really the world is incredibly full of caring. Just think of how much in any given day goes on– not just without anything going wrong, but with great caring. Little things we never give thought to: the ballet of buying newspapers, sneezing and being blessed, dropping a pen and picking it up, edging between people at crossings. Even the sullennesses, the whispered shits & fucks pass mostly without incident...everyone’s always excusing, begging pardon, sorry, sorry, sorry...smiling. Almost every day someone will touch you in the gentlest, most matter of fact way, with no harm meant.”