The Pretty Big Park

Flash Fiction Contest

The Pretty Big Park

Sitting on a rock at the park. I’m supposed to be walking, you know exercise… sitting on a rock is not exercizy, but it’s nice and I know where all the good sitting rocks are… Yesterday I actually planned to sit here. I brought a tablet and I pretended I was painting. Really, I was just scribbling with colored pens.

The rock I was sitting on is high enough on the hill that nobody can see what I’m “painting”. Most, of the ones guessing, would think I’m drawing the break in the trees, where you can see houses beyond. It’s lovely; however, my tablet is just getting scribbles. I’m actually terrible at painting and drawing, I just don’t want to be talked to.

When I sit and do nothing, people worry that “the old lady” is hurt or something and come over to make sure I’m OK. Embarrassing for both me and them… So, I thought if I seemed creatively busy, they would just let me be!

It worked, but not well. Suddenly some people wanted to see how my work was going… As if I was an old artist adding to my portfolio. Unfortunately, my “painting” was blank, with some junk scribbled on the page… I just wanted peace!

There were three women, with some kids running around them, “Can we see?”

So not wanting to be rude, I just said “I’ve only started, just the beginning so far, there’s nothing to see yet.” and I held up my pad with the weird scribbles on it.

“Oh, well! Maybe we can see it when it’s done!” The polite woman said, and they left. Which was the end of my sitting there ever again…

Oh well, I can find another rock to sit on. It’s actually a pretty big park!