Story #7 - Bench talk

"Do you mind if I join you?"
"Yes."
"I knew you'd say that. I'm sitting anyway."
I have my hands in my palms, I can't be bothered to look at her, but if she wants to sit next to a stranger who wants to be alone, that's fine by me. As long as she doesn't talk.
"I've been seeing you for a while now. Same time, same spot. You're not even one inch away. You probably chalked it off with something..."
"In my head. Besides, it's the best position on this bench. I sat everywhere, and it just doesn't feel the same."
Well, she made me lift my chin a bit. Now that's resting on my thumbs. I look like such a pompous prick, I think. Or someone in deep mental thought.
"Okay. Why do you enjoy coming here?"
"Haven't you figured it out?"
"Because it's the most serene place in the park? And the one closest to the pond, so you can check out the various birds enjoy their life?"
"There you go. What brings you here, though?"
"I was trying to find something to paint, and I saw you."
"You wanted my permission?"
"No. I wanted to show what I painted."
Now I'm looking at her. She's smiling. One of those that can fill a room. Or brighten the area, even if it's dark and damp. One of those that can make you fall in love. Or question yourself why you don't have something like that next to you. One of those that makes others think they're fortunate. Or know that they are.
And I haven't even gotten to her other features.
"Show me."
I almost shouted that.
"Here you go. I did this last week. And this one a few days ago."
"That's fast."
"I took pictures to have the exact scene that I wanted. Did the painting at home. Just some sketches and here out here. What do you think?"
"They're both...different than what I was doing. You caught me here staring at some ducks, almost being amazed by them, yet that's when I realized something different. Big nonetheless.
And on this other one, caught from behind, where I have my arms sprawled across the bench, seemingly enjoying the sunset, I... Hmm... I don't remember much about this particular moment."
"Really? This was done a few days ago."
"I see. Maybe I was drunk. Or high. Or asleep."
"Asleep?"
"Yeah. I dozed off a couple of times here."
"You were probably tired."
"Yes...and no."
"I know what you mean."
As I later found out, indeed she did.