Day in the Park

A bright sun shone on the neighborhood playground. Melissa sat on a
bench in the shade pushing the stroller back and forth to quiet the
baby. She surveyed the scene in front of and around her. Her two older
children were part of the controlled confusion. Voices mingled into a
loud buzz with an occasional one loudly breaking out of the mob. Her
eye caught a movement by the bushes to her right. About 100 yards away
a child of 7 maybe 8 stood as still as a statue. He watched as the
playground scenes unfolded in front of him. His hair was a blazing red
even out of the sun. His little face was dotted with freckles. She
followed his gaze to the jungle gym. The sun flashed off of the top of
it as groups of children climbed over it with the grace of monkeys in
the trees. He stood unmoving and alone. A shout from the other end of
the playground drew her attention. When she looked back he was gone.
She scanned the crowd of children but none had hair quite that bright.
A small hand on her knee startled her. The shining blue eyes of her
oldest smiled up at her. Can we stay? Just a little while longer? Of
course dear, run and play. The red haired boy forgotten, she smiled
down on the sleeping babe as she pushed the stroller back and
forth.