Member-only story
Murmuration
A dance of life
Like the birds in the air, the children moved about the field in waves swooping back and forth and around. The flock of children seemed to have a collective mind that choreographed their play. Their sound also moved in sweeping crescendo and diminuendo. Sal was not sure if the birds above were mimicking the children on the ground or vice versa.
Vincent finally showed up at the park bench and sat down next to Sal. The two old men looked at each other but said nothing for several minutes.
Finally Vincent spoke up, “I went to my grandson’s tenth birthday party yesterday. Instead of a birthday cake he had birthday fudge brownies. Have you ever heard of such a thing? He told me he hates cake. What kid hates cake? Jesus. But you know, that fudge brownie sure was good. I think the kid might be on to something.”
Sal laughed silently.
“I asked the boy how he felt now being in double digits; the big one-oh. He shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘Well, I guess I’m now one year closer to death.’ I couldn’t believe he said that. What kid thinks like that? When I was a kid I always wanted to be a year older.”
“Me, too. I never thought about death when I was a kid.”
“Well, I think about it now.”
