Grapes
I sigh as I sit on my favorite bench in the city. It overlooks a river, and is on the green grass of a park. That's however not why I enjoy sitting here. I reside in this spot for the sole reason of privacy. Not many people know there was even a bench here, so I don't have to deal with other people and their troubles. I have enough problems of my own to think about. The usual topic of my sorrow was my past, what I have done. I close my eyes, and go deep in thought of that very topic.
The weight of the bench is shifted, only slightly, when a tiny, petite women sits down beside me. I choose to watch her.
From a little tote bag she lifts up a cluster of grapes. Picks one off, chews slowly, then repeats. I lift my head and stare at her, questioning why she came to sit here. She stops immediately. Looking at me with wide, brown eyes, she begins to eat again offering me some with a little smile. I take one, my mind reluctant, but my stomach overrules. Satisfied with the small portion of grapes she consumed, she replaces the cluster, for a book. I in turn, resume my sulking.
I'm unsure of how much time went by in silence, abruptly ending when she lets out an almost silent curse, followed with a forceful closing of her book. Out of boredom, she starts to people watch. Looking around the area of the park, she stares at the various couple on a picnic, or children throwing a ball for their pet to retrieve.
As I notice her change of expression turn to a distant sadness, I become intrigued. Following her stare, I site a family one of the wooden tables. They were eating, and laughing, with smiles on their faces. She turns her head away from them and looks down at her hands. Looking at my own, I noticed the callouses, and scars, years of wear and tare from my previous job employment.
The bench make a creaking sound again as the small woman stood up. She looked at me once more with her original smile dominating her expression.
"Thanks for letting me sit here. My name is Levy by the way. Levy McGarden." She grabbed her cloth bag and started to leave, then stopped and looked back once more.
"Oh, and I hope you enjoyed the grapes."
In response I nod, and watch her leave. Satisfied that she had left, I decide myself that it was time to go home. Checking that I hadn't made a hole in the bench by scratching repeatedly in the same place without noticing, which had happened before, I spot a book. The woman must have lost it there, so I shuffle it in my pocket for safe keeping. I then get up, and look at the now gray sky. As I stare upward, I feel drop after drop, hit me.
Walking through the developing rain, I mumble to myself about how weathermen are the informers of lies, and waste your time.
I search my back pocket for my keys, as I near my apartment. To be honest, I don't know why I lock the door, if someone wants to rob me, they could go right on ahead. I had none of my valuables in the apartment, aside from the couple dollars in my wallet, and my phone, all of which were in my person at all times. Well, there is also my cat, but he's smart enough to live relatively independately. Excluding those items, my apartment was bear, with minimal furnishings, and dark shades over the windows supporting the cold concrete floor similar to that of a basement.
I could afford better, but didn't want or need anything more than this.
Hearing a click of the lock, I open the door and lay on the couch. My cat, Pantherlily, gracefully lands on me and curls up. I shut my eyes and drift off, comforted slightly.