today, i waved

I often see this man during LB's and my morning wanderings through the park. He sits somewhere different each day I see him, but never near the playground. I often wonder what he thinks about as he rests on his blue walker.

Last week LB and I were entering the park as he was leaving; when LB spotted him coming towards us, she froze. He stopped too, smiled and waved. She didn't respond. I think elderly people sometimes have that effect on her--they look a little scary to her. He spoke to her as he neared us, a language I couldn't place. I thought perhaps Russian, but it definitely wasn't English, French, Spanish or Polish.

Today during our morning wanderings, I saw him sitting on his walker and talking to another fellow just inside the tennis courts. LB's meanderings slowly brought us closer to them, and when I knew they could see us, I raised my hand in hello. The one I recognized waved back cheerily. Then LB and I continued on our way.

Simplicity doesn't seem to mean much to many these days... faster, bigger, louder is more the way to go. But to the man in the blue walker, I'd like to think it made him smile, my simple gesture.