Thursday Morning: Jim Ellis

__________________________________________________________

I saw this kid today

when it was raining

sitting down on the sidewalk

and I just hopped out of my car

going to work

this kid was sitting on the sidewalk

outside his house

the kid had this really cute dog

a puppy

a lab, black lab

the kid was staring at this puddle

and sprinkles of rain were falling onto it

making little ringlets

It was funny because he looked a bit like my brother

the one I don't really speak with anymore

and the dog, the puppy

well

that reminded me of my old family dog

when I was about his age

I stopped and decided to see what he was looking at

I said "hello there"

and he either didn't hear me

or was too entranced by this puddle

the dog looked up at me, and then put it's head back down and went back to sleep

'that's a good lookin dog. What's his name?'

the kid looked up at me for a second and said

"harry potter"

then he went back to looking at the puddle

and then absent-mindedly picking this scab on his knee

'harry potter is all tired out huh, must have played a lot with him'

"he's sick, a cold flu mom says, he'll be well soon"

the kid places the scab into his mouth and swallows it

completely entranced by this puddle

I needed to get to work

and I knew I was going to be late

but there was something going on here

I don't know

maybe it was just nostalgia

some sense of ... I don't know

projection

he just reminded me of

well anyway

I ask him

"what are you looking at?"

he didn't answer me

"mind if I sit with you for a second?"

he placed his hand on the ground

directing me to sit

so I crouch down

fiddling with my trenchcoat trying not to get it muddy

I get kind of nervous

what if the parents or other adults see me

what will I say

will they think I'm a pervert, a kidnapper... trouble

I work it out in my head

I'm just admiring the puppy

It's safe that way

and I'm only crouching

then the kid says

"do you see it?"

I look at the puddle

'you mean the water'

he says

"do you see it?"

I look at the puddle, I see some water flowing in and out of it

forming little pathways of dirt and mud and pebbles

I see the reflection of an electrical pole and the sky

being distorted by the movement of the water

that and the ringlets being created by the sprinkling droplets of rain

there are some ants hauling eggs away from their flooded nest

there is a bottle cap with some weird symbol game on the inside of the cap

there are a few leaves in the puddle

some are fresh bright colors that have recently fallen from the maple trees in the area

others are brown, wet, and almost completely decomposed

and their little broken off bits

and skeletal remains

"you don't see it"

'what's that'

and he points to the puddle

My feet are old, and my circulations not so good

so I decide to make the executive decision

and sit down on the sidewalk

mud on the coat and all

as I sit down

I notice the kid is all bruised up

but hey aren't all kids

but this was a bit more

made me wonder if he was being abused

'you have a lot of bruises on you...'

the kid gets short with me, but not angry

he says to me

"you don't see it"

'you mean the puddle?'

silence

'you mean the ants... the bugs?'

silence

and then he hand gestures along the length of the puddle

'the reflection?'

"It"

'it?'

"it!"

I look around to see if anybody is watching me

anyone around

my co-workers

the parents

the police

neighbors

any adults or even older children

who might judge me

and I'm going to be late for work

but this kid needs help

'how did you get hurt?'

"it's just the cold flu, he'll be well soon my mom says"

I know I'm going to be late, I'm already late

I look at my watch, I'm already late

'can I pet your dog, what it's name'

"harry potter"

'he's a good lookin dog alright. I had one like this when I was your age. That was a long time ago. His name was Remus.'

the kid never stops staring at this puddle

'I have to go to work... thanks for letting me sit with you.'

no reaction

'I hope your dog gets better soon... and if anyone ever hurts you, you should tell a teacher, your parents, or even a police officer'

no reaction

'I have to go to work now... bye...'

the kid just keeps staring, then lifts a hand limply to signal goodbye.

I get up, wipe the mud off the butt of my trenchcoat

I walk on across the street

I then stop and yell over

'You know in Siberia, around Russia, there is this place called Tuva. The people there believe that every body of water has a spirit...'

the kid ignores me

I didn't see it