He didn’t make it far before
he realized he had forgotten his wallet
but he already decided
it wasn’t worth continuing on.
However, he wasn’t ready
to accept the defeat.
He wouldn’t continue,
but he wouldn’t return.
Nearby was a park and he
decided that was
where he wanted to go all along.
It was a short walk.
About as far as it would have been
to return home.
He was now twice as far as he was.
His brow furled
trying to keep both
sun and sweat
from his eyes.
It wasn’t that warm,
but frustration made everything
more intense.
He certainly wanted the park
to help provide the peace
he wasn’t willing to for himself.
Every exasperated sigh
was redefined as a mindful breath.
He was exceptional at self-delusion.
In the park,
there was a bench.
On this bench,
there was a squirrel
and nothing else.
For whatever reason,
he decided that
this squirrel needed
to be bothered.
He walked to the bench as if he
wanted to sit next to the squirrel,
but really he knew he was
definitely going to disturb its peace.
On approach, a tail twitch.
Two steps, standing alert.
Three steps further,
a retreat away from the bench
into a tree.
As the squirrel jolted the man smiled.
He decided this was his favorite bench for the day
as he sat down.
This time the sigh wasn’t a sigh,
it was actually a mindful breath.
His eyes closed and he allowed
the warm sun shards breaking
through the tree canopy to shower
him with solar massage.
He hadn’t forgotten that this wasn’t
where he was really planning on going,
but he acted like it.
His smirk was convincing.