Park Bench

• Makayla Roth, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2013

I have come to the park for some peace. It is a beautiful day, and there are many people enjoying the sunshine. The wind is whispering through the trees, and ducks float serenely on the surface of a small pond.
I sit on the park bench and look around me. I can see an old man jogging along the path, and sitting on the grass near the pond is a family having a picnic. I notice three small children playing hide-and-seek. I watch as one of the children, a little girl, hides behind a large rock. A fluffy dog runs past, chasing a ball.
The sun is bright in my eyes, so I close them and listen to the sounds around me. I can hear the soft thudding of the old man’s shoes on the concrete path. In front of me it sounds like the dog is digging in a patch of mud, and in the distance I can hear the happy laughter of children on the playing equipment and the industrial symphony of cars on the highway. By the shout of ‘found you!’ and the answering squeal, the little girl behind the rock has been found. In a nearby tree, I can hear the song of birds.
I am feeling tired and with the coming evening the smells are suddenly intensified. Next to the bench I am sitting on, there is a patch of flowers. I inhale their sweet perfume, thinking maybe I could pick a few of them to take home. The soil that the dog dug up has a rich, earthy smell. A cool aroma is coming off the pond near the trees. I open my eyes. It is time to go home.
The next morning, the park is empty. I sit on the same park bench and notice the differences. Today, dew is sparkling on the grass and the sky is a pale blue. The sun is hidden behind a cloud, but that doesn't dull the brilliance of the small pond. The ducks are quacking softly to their offspring. Birds chirp quietly, singing again as the sun breaks through, shining on the park and making everything look different. Though the park is empty, I can hear many sounds: the ducks splashing in the water, the sweet peep of a robin nearby, the hustle and bustle of the city awakening. The thought of my tumultuous family waiting at home makes me stand and leave the calmness behind as I cast one last glance at the beauty around me.