Park Bench 2

A younger man, walks over and sits down on the park bench. His accent is thick.

Man: There's this thing that happens when you stand still for a moment. It's like your senses temporarily heighten, if you think about it. I always used to think the reason for that was because our bodies can only do so much at one time. We're like water in an old house. You can turn everything on and get some pretty shoddy pressure, or you can just turn on one or two faucets and get amazing pressure.

I used to walk around with all my faucets running.

When I was born, there was nothing like this around...hell, the idea of running water was state of the art. I remember when creeks were it places, and you had to have a strong arm to turn the crank to start your car. My daddy once broke his wrist trying to start our car...was out of work for weeks. Back then, you couldn't be out of work for weeks. He would get up at the same time everyday and stare out the one window we had for an hour or more. My mother would yell at him for breakfast before yelling at us, and he would always act as if he were further away standing than we were asleep. He had a strong jaw on him, I remember that...not much else other than the days he was home like that.

When I was 11 America entered the war, Wilson was bout pissed at the Krauts and my daddy was too, though I didn't understand at the time why. He and my brother went off to help Wilson out. I remember the bus, blue like a whale out of water, and full of sad faces. They all looked out the window like daddy did back when his arm was broken. I didn't see any broken arms. My brother looked silly with his stiff upper lip. He always had a smirk and bright eyes even though kids made fun of 'im for being the only in the family with red hair. They'd call him 'carrot top' or 'adopted' or 'milkman's son'. He whooped 'em, whooped every single one of 'em for making momma out to be a whore.

So, I imagine that this place is something special, I remember living here, but I don't remember this pond or anything. Does have a way of making you forget what you were doing, 'cause I can't remember anything. I remember Dan saying something to me about my weddin out in the street downtown, and then here I am sitting here, talking about my daddy and brother to a dang pond.

What's that? Yeah, I'm getting married, a week from this coming Sunday. She's the damned most prettiest girl I've ever seen you can imagine. I wasn't about to settle. She's got a mouth and hook on her though. Now that I'm got a good job and what not daddy says I got get a wife. He lost his leg, but he doesn't look out the window anymore.

You know when all your faucets turn off? It's when you meet someone you can fall in love with, I think. When you look at someone, and it's like your holding your breath, and no matter how much you blow, and breathe, that first gasp...just stays there. It's like your body wants to remember. Your stomach burns and tightens real tight. For some reason though, you don't like shake or fight it like you think you would, or even want too...because all your facets are turned off, cept maybe one.

That's what it was like with Ruth...

Hm? Oh dang it I gotta get going, time waits for no man ya know? See ya.