I sit on a bench by the water, alone.
Old couples silently stroll by,
young men run on
with their collies and yellow labs,
and children race
down the fine gravel path.

Even the ducks
that come to say hello
do not linger.
They bob away
and don’t look back.  

I walk to the edge of the water
and crouch down,
looking for a skipping rock.
I wonder…
Have all the best ones
already been skipped?  
I throw a few;
they don’t jump
more than twice.

I head back to the bench
and watch a family of four
stopped by the boulders
bordering the shore.
Dad snaps a picture of his wife and near-grown kids.
“Would you like a photo with the four of you?” I offer.
Dad grins.
“We haven’t had one of those in years!”
I smile and take the photograph.
They thank me
and carry on their way
down the fine gravel path.