R
Robert Harrison
Guest
The Park Bench
She sat on the park bench, hands in her lap,
Her legs and feet close together. Her back
Was straight with no aged slouch. It was
The way she was taught in the strict girls
School some forty years before. Always it
Was the same seat, always at the same time,
And always on the same day. It was her seat.
No, it was their seat, John’s, and hers.
They had first met here, she, sitting where she
Now sat, and the man she would eventually
Get to know, sat on the bench not quite opposite
Her. She had noticed him on two other occasions.
He was, she guessed to be about thirty. Smartly
Dressed in a polo necked sweater, over which he
Wore a tweed jacket, light brown trousers and
Brown Brogues.
It had to happen. It was he who came over to her
Seat. “Hello, my name is John, John Travess. Please
Do not think me to forward, but I could not help
Notice you sitting there these past few weeks, and
I just had to come over and introduce myself.
I do hope that I am not disturbing you?”
She remembered blushing, and also the thrill which
She had never experienced before, filling her whole
Body. “No”, she managed to say “No you are not
Disturbing me, not at all”.
She dabbed her moist eyes as she remembered the
Months that they had spent together, enjoying walks
In the park, going to parties and the ballet and art
Museums. Both of them shared a passion for the works
Of Rembrandt and Constable. She remembered how
Much she had found love with him and he her.
She still see’s them on occasion, John, and her sister.
She sat on the park bench, hands in her lap,
Her legs and feet close together. Her back
Was straight with no aged slouch. It was
The way she was taught in the strict girls
School some forty years before. Always it
Was the same seat, always at the same time,
And always on the same day. It was her seat.
No, it was their seat, John’s, and hers.
They had first met here, she, sitting where she
Now sat, and the man she would eventually
Get to know, sat on the bench not quite opposite
Her. She had noticed him on two other occasions.
He was, she guessed to be about thirty. Smartly
Dressed in a polo necked sweater, over which he
Wore a tweed jacket, light brown trousers and
Brown Brogues.
It had to happen. It was he who came over to her
Seat. “Hello, my name is John, John Travess. Please
Do not think me to forward, but I could not help
Notice you sitting there these past few weeks, and
I just had to come over and introduce myself.
I do hope that I am not disturbing you?”
She remembered blushing, and also the thrill which
She had never experienced before, filling her whole
Body. “No”, she managed to say “No you are not
Disturbing me, not at all”.
She dabbed her moist eyes as she remembered the
Months that they had spent together, enjoying walks
In the park, going to parties and the ballet and art
Museums. Both of them shared a passion for the works
Of Rembrandt and Constable. She remembered how
Much she had found love with him and he her.
She still see’s them on occasion, John, and her sister.
