He smiled and gave a warm “Hello”
I smiled back with a proper response.
Brought together by a commonality;
We both have children.
Mine are not my own.
He is the father of his.
We chat---friendly.
We laugh at the accusation of my niece.
“You’re talking to a stranger!”
She runs back off with her friends.
I continue my conversation.
Introductions
No longer strangers.
We talk about language.
We talk about God.
We talk about children.
“Papa” comes a childs holler.
“Auntie!” comes another.
The conversation has ended
at the beck and call of the children.
He smiles and says goodbye.

Ten minutes with a stranger
was first time in months
That I didn't feel alone.