At The Playground
She showed up at the playground, when I first noticed her. My toddler daughter was playing on the structure with the ropes and slide and stuff right in the middle of the place and there was an older girl, probably of middle school age by the look of her; tall and thin with long dark hair running along with my daughter and playing right along, the two girls made good company together. After a while it was time to leave. The Florida heat was pretty intense and with the clouds building up all day, it was about time for the regular afternoon monsoon. Lightning flashed high up in distant nimbus cloud columns while strapping my child into the stroller, the other little girl being nearby and helpfully gathering our playthings. “Thanks for hanging out with …