Just Football
Princes Park , Liverpool I just stop to take a photo of a cherry blossom tree , rounder and shorter than the others . A man comments on its beauty , asks if I ’ ve seen the heron that sits by the pond . He takes out some photos , just printed . I oooh and aaah at them . He asks again about the heron . He speaks about football – He tells me Everton are playing this weekend ; he hopes they ’ ll win , ‘ I ’ ll jump in the Mersey if they lose .’ ( My mouth forms an O ) ‘ Only joking , it ’ s just football !’ I laugh half a laugh . He asks about my interests , what I enjoy etcetera . I list the usual : something something water , something something walking , something something sounds , gentle or bursting , something something good food , friends , delicious skies , images , still and moving , books , bubbles and wines and greens and I haven ’ t managed to enjoy enough of them lately . His eyes land on the reeds . His photos tucked in his pocket . ‘ But you ’ re happy to be alive . That ’ s the main thing .’ Yes , I say . I do try to be . Sometimes it can be hard . ‘ Not at your age surely .’ I smile a small smile . You ’ d be surprised . ‘ As long as you can be positive when you ’ re young that ’ s a good way to be . It ’ s when you ’ re older that you ’ ve got to be careful !’ We say goodbye and part ways and there is not enough time to say , Sometimes , I think I ’ m living life the other way around . Sometimes , I think I ’ m living life the wrong way round . Is it just a different way round ? The buds on the blossom tree look like bunny tails or bushy clouds . I wander to the pond ( I wonder if I ’ ll spot the heron ) where the water is murky , and the ducks are thriving beside the wild geese .
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