The Park March

The park sucks. The air is fresh but cold, the ducks are cute but noisy and don’t get me started on the people here. Looking back, I’m not sure why I thought coming here would be a good idea. Well, I do know, I suppose. It’s obvious why I’m here and what I wanted to do but things surely never work out the way you want them to, do they? Looking around, I guess I’ve been here all day too. Let’s see, where am I again? Oh, right, next to the hotdog stand but seems like its owner has already fled. Lucky fellow. This stand is in the middle of the park, give or take, so I must be too. Why is it so cold? It’s worse than having my air conditioner on full blast, back home. I knew I should have brought more than a jacket and jeans but that’s what I get. I tried to look cool and, now, I am cool, too cool, finger freezing and human popsicle cool. The courtyard I’m in doesn’t provide much warmth either but I don’t suppose any other place in park would. I really want to just go home but I suppose one more walk through the park is the only thing that will warm me up. Alright, let’s get going again. Is calling it a walk really the right word? No, it’s more a march than a walk. My own miserable park march.

I usually hate coming to the park. The indoors are so much better than what you deal with out here. I know when most people have their holidays, they can’t wait to run outside and frolic in the sun. Well, the sun sucks too and so does anyone that actually ‘frolics’. Never mind, I take that back. I’m sorry for indirectly insulting you sun, please don’t leave just yet. If you go, I will literally freeze to death. Looking at my watch, I have about an hour left before I have to go. I hate to admit that I’ve been walking around this place all day waiting but it’s reassuring that it’s for something worth waiting for. Not that I usually have to wait this long. By this time in the evening, and especially during the holidays, I would be at home, snuggled up and watching movies. No, instead, I’m out here, in nature surrounded…by nature things. One’s man love for nature is another introvert’s worst nightmare. Why do people even like parks that much? There’s nothing to do out here. I should know, my feet feel like they’ve dread all over it, by now. I really do hope I can get this over with soon.

Oh no, not them again. Why does that couple never leave? I’ve walked past them maybe a dozen times, today, and they just won’t leave that same bench. Maybe they’re a fabrication of my mind devoted to torturing my feeble romance addicted self-esteem? No, no. The way they hold hands and keep laughing about stuff show they are far too happy to be here to be a part of my delusions. It is fine, though, just going to proudly march on, ignore them. Ew, they kissed too. I mean, ignoring! Okay, finally out of sight of those two. What’s wrong with people! Haven’t you ever heard of public decency? Being an introvert, I’ve always also had a small dislike of other people. People always talk too much, do stupid things, bother you with trivial stuff and steal your fries on dates, horrible. I mean, being alone isn’t always that nice for long periods of time either. Loneliness can be bad in its own way. Fine maybe, rarely, on the occasion, it might be nice to have some company with other people. I’ll admit that much. Maybe it would be nice if someone held my hand too. A hug doesn’t sound so bad. I might even like a kis-wait, what am I saying?! Ugh, I need to focus on looking around. The air here is getting to my head somehow.

Somebody’s walking their dog this late? Not the person I’m looking for but the dog looks acceptably cute. Dogs are okay, in general, though. I dislike parks, people and most animals but dogs are okay. Most dogs are loud, drool a lot, dig holes in your yard, get mud all over your expensive house carpet and have no idea what personal space is. Now, thinking about it, maybe dogs aren’t that good. Aww, it’s so cute. Look at those eyes and its nose is something I want to poke. I wonder if the owner would notice if I picked it up and ran off. Probably would but I’m sure I could outrun them. Wait. How did I go from thinking that little mongrel is the adorable little baby he is? I mean, dogs are really loyal. They also don’t understand good and evil, so you know they’ll support you, even if you do turn out to be an evil master mind. They’re also affectionate which is kind of nice. If you’re really lonely and have no one like family or even that many friends, a dog is sometimes a good companion. Maybe I should get a dog? No, no, no. I need to focus. Where am I? I’ve only got a couple of minutes left, I can’t keep thinking about dogs and other silly animals. Let’s go along the lake back to the centre again. After that, I’m getting out of here.

They cleaned the lake, I think. I can’t really tell. I’ve been coming here nearly every day since my holidays started, so maybe I can’t see the difference that people who come more sporadically would. It’s kind of like when you live in a small town and, after 10 years, you forget that huge new mall wasn’t there all those years ago. The only reason why I seem to be noticing some of the changes around here is because I dislike everything here. Every year before this, I spent my holidays at home. I work on the other side of the city, so I, normally, don’t even see the park. In fact, I most often don’t see much of the outdoors, at all. The bugs are terrible, even though butterflies are pretty and bees are sort of useful. The people are loud. The people do make this place feel alive sometimes, though, you feel less lonely among them. The animals are pesky. The dogs, birds and squirrels are admittedly cute and I like watching them roam around sometimes but still pesky. The weather is often sunny, which means sunburn. I mean, when you wear sunblock, you just feel nice and warm. You also have a good reason to wear nice looking shades. Overall, who would ever like the park?

 There she is. I almost lost hope. To think I would form a crush on a dog walker. She’s been walking through here ever since the day I met her outside my house. She was funny, attractive and just generally a good person. She’s wearing enough clothing to turn into a ball and fly off, though. I’m surprised she came, actually, I was worried she wouldn’t show up. I met her a couple of weeks back and despite how much I dislike parks, I’ve been coming to ‘run into her’ each day. She must think I love this place or something but it was only really to talk to her. I’m still surprised she showed up, though. This is going to be my first confession to a girl. Is that weird? No, of course not. There’s nothing weird about saying you like someone and want to go on a date together. Doing it in person at an undisclosed time of day in the park? Okay, maybe a little weird. She saw me. Well, time to do this. If things go well, maybe this march was worth it. Funny, if things do go well…maybe parks aren’t so bad, after all.