L sat on a top of the back of the park bench sipping on the sweetened black of coffee. A kid ran by chasing after some unknown object:
Happiness, we all chase after happiness.
He stopped and looked curiously towards L, "Who're you?"
"Why'd you ask me?"
He thought about it, "Your face is pretty."
L's hair was hidden underneath a sock hat so the more unattractive features of his face were open for the scrutiny of all the pretty people in the world.
"Is it? Are you sure you know what pretty means?"
"Yes."
"Really...Is he pretty?"
The kid looked over and L was pointing at an older man sitting also on a bench, a book in his hands, his back perpetually hunched over from the burden the years of life had piled upon them, "Yes." The kid replied.
"How about her?"
A woman was jogging down the path, her hair tied in a pony-tail – sweat sliding down her face.
"Yes." The kid nodded vehemently.
"And you?"
He thought about this for a second… "I hope so."
"What's your name?"
"George."
"You are very pretty George."
George nodded gravely at this; it was a bit of information that merited his utmost sever concentration and he intended on giving it that.
L returned to sipping his coffee and watching the nature around him.
"What's your name?"
"Oh. You're still there…My name I can't give to you."
"Oh- why not?"
"I've outgrown my name...it was given to me when I was a child inside my mother's uterus…before I had established myself. Now that I am older the name doesn't fit me as well."
"Oh. I would like to pick my name someday, George is such a stupid name."
"I agree. What would you like your name to be?"
"Well, I don't know yet, duhh, you're the one who told me you have to grow into it."
L chuckled, "I can tell you a really good name if you want."
"Yeah!"
"Decency."
"Decency?"
"Decency."
"Sounds stupid."
"It grows on you. Say it again."
"Decency…decency…"
"You want to know what it means?"
He shrugged, "I guess."
"It means doing what you know is right in your heart. It means not listening to convention even when other people tell you that it's the right thing to do. Decency is dealing with the world and bottling it up. Even when your heart is on fire and ready to explode decency is forcing yourself to sit down and breathe and not do anything stupid."
"Oh…it still sounds stupid, I think I'd rather choose another."
L adopted a thick, western accent, "Well that's mighty decent of you."
A voice came from the distance of a woman. She appeared closer. She had long blonde hair and was very, very pretty.
"Come on George, let's go."
She tugged the boy off with one arm, keeping a weary eye out for the man on the back of the park bench. I guess she didn't think he was all that pretty.
As they trailed off L heard the boy say, "Mom, I hate my name. Can I have another?"
L smiled…a real, genuine smile where no one was around to see. It made him feel better.
He took another sip of his coffee.