Lunch hour

It's 1 o'clock on a Wednesday. The sun is out. The computer automatically locks itself, she grabs her bag, puts on her headphones and proceeds to leave the office. Walking on the cobblestone, she observes a man taking pictures of a bicycle. Her initial thought was, "Why is he taking a picture of this bike?' As she got closer she realized why. The message on the bike was about bullying, an anti-bullying campaign on a bike. Captivating. She took a picture also. A few more steps ahead was a bus full of messages about love and kindness. She took a pic of that too.

As she entered the park. she observed people walking with their bikes, sitting on the bench eating lunch, or standing around admiring the view. She walked along the rocky path remembering her rock collecting days. Quietly calling out the names of each rock, she smiled realizing she hasn't forgotten her beloved hobby. She went to a nearby bench and sat down. Tuna fish sandwich and an iced tea was lunch, not sure if that's what she wanted. As she takes a few bites, she hears some cheers. To her left was a couple who just got married. Both the bride and groom looked stunning. The photographer was directing them in taking their portrait. He was speaking in Cantonese. Admiring their smiles and attire, a woman approached her with a camera in hand. She didn't speak much English but did say "picture" pointing at her and her boyfriend or husband. She said "Sure," put down her sandwich and took the camera. They stood by the railing which was a great shot of them with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. Suddenly, the man lifted her up in the air and both laughed. The pictures came out nice. They said thank you and giggled as they walked away. She smiled at the couple and proceeded to eat her sandwich. Moments later, another married couple arrived with a photographer taking their pictures. She admired their attire, especially the bride's dress. She looked beautiful. An older couple walked by and stood in front of her pointing at the Manhattan Bridge. They looked happy.

She finished the sandwich, drank some of the iced tea and looked around. Her smile slowly changed. She could feel her heart sank inside her chest. The couples had left and she was alone. The wind picked up speed and the water's current picked up some waves. She removed the headphones from her ears. There was silence. Her thoughts began to roam. She could hear her own breath and quiet sighs. "I don't want to be alone anymore," she thought to herself. Love resurfaced.

It was five minutes to 2 o'clock. The lunch hour was over.