Taking Care of Business

Flash Fiction

Taking Care of Business

Walking in the park. I’m required to do it daily for my health. I actually do it daily to get away from everybody nagging me about taking care of my health… My health, at best, will keep degrading slowly, because I’m closing in on eighty… I doubt I will suddenly start getting younger. But I humor them, I know they do it because they care.

The park is not all that big. I couldn’t walk the whole thing in one fell swoop, but I think I have been everywhere, numerous times. From here I could go left for the fountain, but it wasn’t sunny, I probably didn’t need their fountain today, I had my water bottle. When I go to the fountain it’s to splash cool water on my face.

The tower, on the left is fun. I can see the top from here. However, everyone else can too. It’s the weekend, so there will be many people there all day since you can see it from most of the park. The tower is lovely, but I prefer alone, and quiet.

The path on the right brings us around the edge of the park. It’s all trees, nothing else to look at as far as you can see, so not very popular. However, in one spot, a ways along, it’s different. Big, high fencing on the right as the path turns a corner, and below a local farm. It’s a small opening, but so beautiful. You can stand there and just breathe, looking out into the beautiful valley below. I usually take that path on weekends, less people, more beauty, yet the same length as the other paths.

Also, it fools my family into thinking I’m walking more, because I always stop to enjoy that view. Win win!