A Wednesday Evening at the Park and Some Unexpected Visitors
Hey everyone, hope your week is going well. Mine’s been a bit of a slog with work deadlines piling up, but I managed to carve out some time last night for a little breather. Ren and I decided to head over to Riverside Park after dinner. It’s just a few blocks from our place, and with the weather finally warming up, it felt like the perfect way to unwind. I swear, spring always tricks me into thinking I can handle more than I actually can. One sunny day and I’m ready to overhaul my entire life.
We grabbed a couple of iced coffees from the Starbucks on the corner and walked over around 6:30. The park was pretty quiet for a Wednesday evening. Just a few joggers and some kids messing around on the playground. We sat on a bench near the river, and I was content to sip my coffee and watch the water. Ren was scrolling through his phone, probably looking at memes or something equally unproductive. I teased him about it, but I was zoning out just as much. The way the light hits the water this time of day makes everything slow down.
After a bit, we noticed a small group of people setting up near the edge of the park. They had little folding chairs and a couple of lanterns, which seemed odd since it wasn’t fully dark yet. I figured they were just having a picnic or something, but then one of them pulled out a tiny brass horn and started playing a short, sharp tune. It wasn’t loud or anything, just enough to catch your attention. Ren looked over and muttered something about it being a “summoning call,” which I assumed was a joke until a few minutes later when a pair of dappled quirrels scampered right up to the group. Not squirrels, quirrels. You know, the ones with the extra tufts on their tails and those weird little chirps. They’re usually pretty shy, but these two just sat there, almost like they were waiting for something. One of the people tossed them a handful of grain, and they started nibbling away. I’ve never seen anything like it. I mean, I’ve spotted quirrels in the park before, but never this close or this calm.
I nudged Ren to take a picture, but my phone was almost dead, so I just watched. It was kind of mesmerizing. The group kept chatting among themselves, and every now and then, one of them would play another note on the horn. I’m guessing it’s some kind of local tradition, maybe tied to the old Millhaven folklore about welcoming spring with small creatures. We didn’t stick around long enough to ask, though. The coffee was gone, and I could feel my energy dipping fast.
On the walk back, we swung by the little bodega on 14th to grab some snacks for tonight. I’ve got a late call with a client, and I know I’ll be up past midnight if I don’t keep something to munch on nearby. Ended up with a bag of Doritos and some gummy worms, which is probably not the healthiest choice, but it’ll do. Ren picked out a pack of those new lime-chili pretzels, and I’m already regretting not snagging some for myself. They smelled amazing.
Anyway, that was my little midweek escape. I’m back to the grind today, staring at fabric swatches and trying to convince a client that teal isn’t going to clash with everything in their living room.