He just stood there, forlorn look, too short jeans and over size shirt. It was odd, him just standing there. There was no discernible reason for it.
The little pond, about the length of a football field and half the width, never had any people around it. Well, not directly around it. It was in a neighborhood of homes most of which housed older retirees. The pond had two fountains often blowing sideways in the breeze and a number of various water fowl from large blue gray herons to their smaller cousins the feisty little green herons. Even the odd duck family would come by. But never, ever, were there any human children at the pond.
It looked like rain would be in the offing for the afternoon and that’s probably why a neighbor invited the boy to wait on the porch while he called someone to come pick the boy up. Thats when it happened. No one could believe it once it was over but thats when it happened. The little boy looked up at the gentleman and began to sing.
As the boy sang the animals took note, each stopping mid stride to turn and stare at the boy. Those stares became tentative little steps, one little squirrel chittering softly to three little squirrels with her as they continued in careful steps, making their way to the boy. Two huge snapping turtles came from the bottom of the pond and simultaneously, the little green heron hopped on the blue herons back as it waded through the shallows at the edge of the pond, all heading to the little boy with the angelic voice. It was then that each retiree came from within their homes and listened to the lilting and rolling voice that carried centuries of melancholic yearning cascading in waves over them all.
Then, as each of them began to relax they noticed the years slide off their body. All their pain and suffering just melted into the ground. The little boy just petted each animal nodded to everyone outside, smiled and twisted his hand. With the twist of his hand a tent veil opened, the boy waved, stepped through and was gone.
Immediately, sixteen retirees from sixty-eight to ninety-one found themselves standing around in ill fitting clothes. The neighbor who spoke to the boy had seen his pants tighten and his shirt rip open as long lost muscle returned to his no longer stooped frame. Across the way, Jenny had gathered her robe tightly around her as it became loose and she felt her panties fall right to the ground. Old John felt his Baclofen pump fall to his feet. They all just stared at one another. Seven of the sixteen had to remove their glasses to even see clearly. And oh, could they see clearly.
”Yes Sir, thats when it happened, right when that boy sang.”
”Yes, but when exactly did it happen.”
”That’s the strangest thing. Not a one of us can remember exactly when it happened.”
Joey Feller 