People Watching

Old man, blank faced, gray, balding, bent back, suspenders holding up loose pants, a half filled plastic grocery bag hanging from one hand, a wooden cane companion in the other, limps his way slowly from the grocery store out to the parking lot …towards his parked car. People rushing, back and forth from cars to store pushing filled and empty carts, using cell phones, talking, gesturing, texting, hurrying past him with abandon . Another balding old man about the same age, bulging middle, red faced, huffing, crooked visor cap, chrome cane in hand, head bent low, limps along slowly from… his car to the store. People rushing back and forth from cars to store pushing filled and empty carts using cell phones, talking, gesturing, texting, hurrying past him with abandon, When both men reach a crossing point in their opposing paths, they stop in mid step, slowly look up and give each other the once over. As if on cue they look around themselves at this parking lot full of hustling, busy actors going about their important affairs in so much of a hurry. .then turn and look back into each other’s faces..… One breaks into a smile that begins to brighten his weathered face and then the other gent breaks into a smile of his own to share. From within their aging shells both spirits break out with child like, hearty laughter while shaking their heads. They continue on their journey limping away from each other without a word, the smiles still embedded in their brightened faces. I too find myself smiling as I watch the scene from my open car window while eating my lunch as people are rushing back and forth from cars to store pushing filled and empty carts, using cell phones, talking, gesturing, texting, hurrying past with abandon. It’s time. I have to make a call and hurry back to work now….