A Warm Reunion

It is almost nine at night at the park, and the lights are about to go out. The hurried late-night walkers make the most of their limited time in this peaceful area, their nightgowns and pajamas flutter in the cool night breeze furiously, maybe threatening to lift them off into the sky. Men and beast alike tread the stone-paved pathways, enjoying one final look at the undisturbed waters of the swimming pool before they leave. The lamps emit a warm glow, which the flies consume lustily.

The boy’s brisk walk is due to the anticipation of rain, and his legs move furiously, afraid of catching a cold, or worse, being rebuked by his mother. Nothing can stop him, he does not look at the enchanting pool, or try to dodge the bees, doing their last circulation of the flowers—nothing except a light brush of soft whiskers against his legs and a tender purr.

The boy slowly sits down on a granite stone bench, and the cat takes the chance to gently leap into the spot beside him. After about 15 minutes or so, the boy thanks the cat for a soulful and stimulating conversation and heads back to bury himself in an uncomfortable coffin of high school textbooks and notes. His feline friend watches him leave slowly. His eyes have a dash of hazel, a splash of amber and a glint of gold in them. Its pupils seem to be an endless well of inky blackness. These eyes could take a lifetime of many such human conversations and still have room for more.

Time stretches and weathers people, it waits for no one. The boy is now an old man, living his golden years to the fullest after enjoying a successful career. He is found to be visiting the same park and is slowly assisted to the age-old bench, as weathered as he is now. He is left alone to enjoy his surroundings' timeless and serene lushness.

His wizened eyebrows cock up in surprise to find a pair of wizened whiskers twitch at him with an aura of tranquillity. The eyes of his feline friend remain the same, always ready to take up more. Both have grown wise over this lifetime and look forward to sharing experiences.