A Braided Leash

She sat on the bench, her hands folded in her lap—right hand on top. In her left hand she held a red, braided dog leash. Worn by use and faded by the sun after years of walks in this park.

The crowds were bigger these days than when she started coming here. But she didn’t mind that.

In fact, she rather liked seeing everyone and felt like part of a big family, even as she sat on the bench and only watched while Mickey ran around.

She loved seeing the little girl with pigtails pull her puppy by the scruff of the neck and watched as her mother gently corrected her. “No so rough, honey. He’s a baby. Be gentle. There you go.”

She remembered being that little girl. Her own mother giving her the same wisdom when she brought home her first dog. He was wild and protective. He would only sleep at the foot of her bed, no matter how hard her mother tried to move him.

Turning her gaze deeper in the park, she saw a young boy walking his dog while his mother led a stroller with one hand and tried to guide him and the dog out of the way of strangers with the other. “Oh my…I’m so sorry. Dylan…come on. Not near other people. I’m so sorry…he’s learning.”

The woman chuckled as more memories came flooding back. That was here not so long ago. Well, in her mind it was only yesterday, but now both her boys had their own kids about that age. All grown up and moved away. Building their lives. They’d call and visit on holidays. As much as she wished they were closer, she was glad they had grown up so well and were happy. In fact, they were the ones who gave her Mickey at Christmas all those years ago. That little bundle.

A few benches down sat a couple about her age. The wife, tired but strong, sat and stroked her husband’s back as he rubbed the dog’s ears. The man, frail as he seemed, was always a step faster than the dog.

It was her.

She had been that woman less than a year ago. Even after her husband passed, she kept coming to the park just to keep around people. Just to see smiles and hear laughs. They didn’t come so easy to her these days, but she was finding more and more of them as the months dragged on.

She stood and walked through the park.

She grabbed the iron gate for support as she stepped down to the sidewalk by her car.

She gently put the leash back in her purse where it stayed now.

As she got in the car, she looked at the picture of Mickey she kept on the dash. She kissed her fingers and touched the photo.

After wiping away a soft tear, she headed for home.

She’d be back tomorrow.