By the River

It’s almost a bit too warm in my leather jacket and alpaca wool sweater. I am sitting on a small wall. Next to me, the river flows, green and blue, the evening sun sparkling on its surface. A sign outside the bar advertises Bouillabaisse from Lake Zurich. There is a woman sitting outside leaning against the dark wall of the building, a half-full glass of beer in front of her. She is reading a paperback that looks like «Brave New World», taking small sips from her beer between pages. The woman at the next table has her eyes closed, her face relaxed while she waits for her friend to get another round of drinks. A woman with a pram. A kid on a skateboard. A tiny dog wearing a tiny red T-Shirt. A man on a unicycle. A group of boys. A faint cloud of weed followed them.The sun puts smiles on people’s faces. Most of them walk slower than usual, with their jackets open and scarves untied. We have all been waiting for warmer and brighter days. While I sit and watch, the scene is getting occupied by more and more people. Wine and beer will start to flow soon, noone cares that it is still the beginning of the week. And all the while the river keeps flowing, waiting patiently for the long summer nights and river swims. Just like me.

23/02/2022