Nickie 041

"Tell me what's happening"

"One of the children, a little girl, perhaps three or four years of age. She is staring at me. I have the impression that she can see me. And now she is waving at me but in a very shy way, as if there is something strange in my appearance. Now her mother is asking her something in Flemish. The little girl is pointing in my direction. Now the mother is looking my way as well but I can see no sign of recognition in her face"

"Remember you can take off the lorgnette if anything is causing you discomfort"

"No, there is no need for that. Not yet. It's too fascinating. Some birds in the park are flying past and I have the impression that they can see me as well. There is nothing threatening at all but I hope that nobody will come near to me. That would make me feel uncomfortable"

"That makes sense if you are only visible to the birds and to one little girl"

"Hold on.... The man with the newspaper is standing up and now he is walking towards the elderly couple. He is offering his newspaper to them and they thank him for it. He lifts his hat and walks towards the stage. The elderly couple are unfolding the newspaper and the man produces a lorgnette. He is reading a headline or two for his wife. And this is funny. The wife takes the lorgnette from his hand and now she is reading some headlines for him"

"So the two of them are sharing one lorgnette?"

"Yes, and they don't argue about whose turn it is. Simply sharing. What a harmonious old couple. Nobody seems to be in a hurry anyway. And the lack of a constant background noise is really refreshing. Ah, something is happening in the distance.... Another mother just started singing for her children"

"Does her song sound familiar to you?"

"Hush, hush, I have to concentrate on this because of the distance.... Yes, that's it. She was singing in Flemish. Waltz rhythm. Old fashioned belcanto style. Not a great voice but that doesn't matter. Ah, she is now trying to teach the song to her children, line for line"

"No Gilbert and Sullivan?"

"I'm afraid her song does not ring a bell"

"Tell me about any scent in the air if you can"

"Good question. It's slightly different but hard to find words to describe it"