Sunday's Whirligig

Posted Saturday November 5

It was the perfect day for people watching. I waved to the apron-clad waitress as she scampered between the tables outside the tea room in the park, the remains of my cappuccino clinging the sides of my empty cup.  ‘May I have another please?’

I couldn’t help but smile as an  elegantly coiffured  lady waved her stick in the air at an elderly gentleman  who was coming  uncomfortably close on his on flame red mobility scooter startling her little tiny dog which bounced up and down  yapping uncontrollably . To make matters worse, two kids on skate boards shot past, leapt in the air, landed again then clattered on their way.

A shaggy-haired student meandered past staring at a mobile phone,  totally oblivious to those dodging left and right to avoid a collision.

A trendy young mum pushed the latest designer three wheel buggy, it’s charge’s clumsy little fingers rummaging in a packet of sweets one of which fell to the ground below. The child pointed down then looked up, imploring its mother to retrieve the purple confectionary, but a gull swooped down then carried it up and up into the sky.

An expressionless teen slouched by, an irritating hiss-hiss-hiss emanating from little white buttons pressed into his ears.

‘Anything else sir?’ I was suddenly aware of a voice to my left then noticed a smiling face beaming down at me. ‘Did you want something else?’ I didn’t so she handed me my bill which flapped like a butterfly in the gentle breeze then escaped. Unable to retrieve it, I stuck a tenner in her hand, told her to keep the change then joined the strollers as they ebbed and flowed on that beautiful autumn afternoon.

Then, as the glistening sun began to sink below the trees I headed for the hustle and bustle of the world outside.

Written for Sunday's Whirligig where our task is to blend these twelve given words into our literary masterpieces - task, park, watching, dog, something, perfectly, breeze, sinks, tea, retrieve, coming, between.

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