Band-Aid

The tiny hand of a child pokes through the window of the car, in front, on my left. I'm driving up 15th Street. The window on that station-wagon is opened just a bit at the top and I see the small fist coming out, shaking. A band-aid is still glued to the thumb. Motions of the other fingers. Go away! Go away! Finally the victory. The band-aid falls and the hand gets back in the car. I noticed that the small orange plastic band didn't fell on to the ground. I accelerate to have a better look at the car. As I get at the same level as the rear-window, I can see the band-aid stuck on the black plastic that marks the start of the window. Flapping in the wind. I wonder if the kid has seen it.

I found them

I finally found the waterfalls I had been looking for.
There are small but untamed and easy to find once one realizes that they are off "Coleville road". and not off "Georgia Ave". These falls had become almost something of a quest. The promise of a hidden treasure. A beauty nearby but out of my reach. They were here all that time. I just had to learn where to look.
The water is still brown from the rain when we reach them. They are graffiti on the rocks nearby. Still it's beautiful.

Hidden deal

7PM. In front of the Union Station post office. This is the last day before taxes are due and people have all come down here, knowing it will still be opened.
I'm making my way in and overhear a conversation between two homeless people. The woman is sitting, begging near the entrance, hoping to cash in on the sheer number of people streaming in and out of the place. There is a man standing in front of her, pointing his finger to her face. I hear her saying "Do not touch me or I call the police. I say NO" and his plea "but I like you. Honest to god. I like you". Her voice becomes more strident. She is clearly upset and is making clear she wants nothing to do with him. I enter the post office. It is the mad house with a line of about 50 people. I put my letters in one of the boxes and turn around to exit. I've been inside less than one minute. The woman has disappeared from her spot. The man is sitting there now and he is carefully counting some dollar bills that he is clutching. I can't imagine what happened. Maybe she sold her spot, maybe she got scared, maybe, maybe. I regret to have missed that deal.

Fear

A yellow jacket. A red bike. The kid is standing in front of an adult (his dad? his brother?) examining a small red bike. I can't hear them (I am in my car, driving to work. late) but the adult turns his head suddenly and I can see the kid recoiling with fear. All his body moved back as if expecting a punch that he is used to receive. The man looks at the boy and slowly turns back to the bike. The kid's body is still a bit tilted, still anticipating the punch, not yet back to his natural posture.