by Jules Roberts

Created on: November 05, 2008

Autumn was always a difficult time for him. He moved slowly and thoughtfully as he set about his work and the park was quiet with only a handful of people passing through. A red-setter dog bounded around the corner with a stick in his mouth as his owner trotted obediently behind him. The beautiful sleek red coat of the dog blended in well with the orange and red leaves he was clearing from the path.

Orange and red and brown and yellow leaves constantly dancing in front of him as he danced behind them, pulling them back from the path. Tomorrow more will have fallen to replace them. The dance must go on.

He sighed and stopped to watch a squirrel run up the tree. The day had gone slowly but it was nearly the end of his shift. Nearly time to go home.

Home.

Some of the leaves were crisp while others were mushy. The newly fallen mixing with the old and trodden on. Twirling together the same and twisting into a unique pattern of different colours and textures.

Tonight he would see his children again. He smiles a heartbroken smile and stops for another moment. It had been a long time. It seemed like forever ago that they had all been under the same roof. Those were the days he would chase leaves in his own garden. How he loved that garden, it had been beautiful. Of course, his wife had no time for gardens now so she had it dug out and paved. He sighed.

But there was always this place. It was good luck getting a job in this little park. He looked around at the sleepy little park, which would yawn in spring and bounce with vitality in the summer. He loved the summer with its colourful flowers flourishing in the warmth of the sky and looking up at the kites in the air. Not like autumn or the cold dead winter.

His knee clicks with the gentle nag of arthritis. He knew that this nag will be a screaming rage by wintertime. But for now the nag is bearable so he continues his task of raking the leaves. He missed his forever ago home. It had always fitted him perfectly like a big comfortable slipper. Now he felt big and clumsy in his small flat. He spent a long time decorating and finding ornaments and odds and ends that made it look homely. The children's room was made up with colourful walls and jam-packed with toys that he'd been buying each pay day. He hoped they would like it there.

Across the road two youths are wobbling down a slope on clearly new roller-blades. Carefully they cling to each other. Will they stay upright or fall to their knees? He watched keenly. So far they are

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