A Collection of Twigs

by James Borto



  A Collection of Twigs

  By

  James Borto

  Copyright 2016

  ISBN# 9781310882951

  A Collection of Twigs

  by James Borto

  The temperature lingered in the mid 70’s without the slightest threat of impending rain. It was the idyllic, late-spring day, the exact variety Chicagoans pine for when they’re ankle-deep in winter’s white powder, when their earlobes become exposed to wind chills of twenty-below. An intervallic breeze did little to hamper the gratifying day. Instead, it wafted the aromatic scent of galaxy magnolias throughout the vast, suburban park.

  Brimming with welcome exuberance, Neil Hannah found himself exploring the prolific topography of Evers Park on this balmy Saturday afternoon. Although he had passed by it well over a hundred times since moving to the posh neighborhood, he had only managed a single visit to the park. That was nearly a year ago to the day. It was absurd to think he hadn’t been back since then.

  In his previous outing, he was accompanied by his fiancé Paige and his son Drew, who was eighteen months old at the time. As luck would have it, their trip was cut short the moment they spotted a mass of storm clouds rolling towards them. Neil felt cheated then and every day since.

  He eagerly guided Drew’s stroller along the winding, bike path, well beyond the raucous commotion of the soccer fields and baseball diamonds. He was far from alone on the newly-paved asphalt trail, however. A convoy of mothers, pushing their own strollers, was in front and trailing him every step of the way. Some dawdled in groups of two, but most were venturing out alone. An occasional cyclist stealthily maneuvered past the mothers as well as a good number of seniors taking in a leisurely walk.

  Naively, Neil figured reading a few children’s books and viewing the newest Walt Disney movie would dictate the entire itinerary for the afternoon. It was a decision that came about during the previous night’s dialogue with Paige. That was before the morning sun penetrated the ghostly slits of the Venetian blinds on the bedroom window, challenging his eyes to seek the solemn consolation of darkness. With the sun’s rays stabbing their way through the dark, preventing him from returning to his slumber, an alternate plan wormed its way into his thoughts.

  Evers Park seemed to be an exclusive indulgence reserved almost entirely for doting mothers like Paige. At times, Neil couldn’t help but feel like somewhat of an outcast whenever she provided him with accounts of what Drew had accomplished subsequent to their excursions. His lack of availability, arising from his demanding construction schedule, deprived him of generating his own cherished moments with his smile-inducing two-and-a-half-year-old.

  To ease Neil’s dissatisfaction, Paige took noble measures to document their son’s budding achievements. Her digital camera found a permanent home in Drew’s travel bag. Every so often, and despite its obvious bulkiness, she would also remember to pack their camcorder, occasionally even remembering to charge the battery.

  Today would be different, however. The previous night’s late-hour push provided the coveted option of not having to work this Saturday. It was a rarity he hadn’t enjoyed since early spring. At long last, he was granted a day in the park with his boy. Neil would be able to witness Drew’s impulsive exploits first hand, instead of via video mediation. It was his turn to be asked, “How was the park?” upon his return home. Moreover, as an added bonus, his venture would afford Paige some free time of her own to run errands or have a long overdue nap. It was a win-win for all parties involved.

  After the fifth couple of the afternoon zipped by on rollerblades, Neil steered Drew’s stroller from the crowded bike path. Traversing the grassy field seemed the better option. Neil forged ahead at a steady, leisurely pace. The freshly-cut grass offered minimal resistance against the sturdy wheels of the sporty stroller. He stopped periodically to point out the indigenous wildlife to Drew, who invariably humored his dad with impermanent gazes and perfunctory smiles. None of the creatures, however, engendered enough excitement to shift the boy from his slouched posture.

  Soon, the meandering duo came upon the main highlight of Evers Park, a crystalline, man-made pond featuring an impressive water fountain in the center. Drew rose from his seat, testing the restraint of his seat belt and buckle. He excitedly pointed to the columns of water jetting upwards of fifteen feet in the air.

  “Wader, dad!” he cried.

  Encouraged by his son’s enthusiasm, Neil steered the stroller closer to the pond. He parked some twenty feet from the pond’s edge, beneath the cool shade of a mature willow tree. It was a distance he almost felt comfortable with. He pressed down on both of the rear wheel locks with his foot. A tug of the stroller confirmed it was immobilized.

  Drew’s eyes never wavered from the spectacle of spouting water, not even to acknowledge a pair of squawking grackles. It was as if he was eagerly anticipating something of awe-inspiring import to emerge from the brilliant cascading sprays.

  Neil sat down under the tree, invigorated by the slick coolness of the blades of grass beneath his legs. He was unconcerned with what would become of his beige cargo shorts. The circumstances of the afternoon, up to this point, were feeding into the vision He had conjured for himself during the planning stages of this outing. There wasn’t a single aspect of the expedition he didn’t enjoy, from their lengthy visit at the playground to the lazy stroll through winding trails. And now, there was vicarious joy in watching his son enthused by the detour to the magnificent fountain.

  Scattered, feathery clouds sketched colossal, rolling shadows over the park grounds. The temperate breeze swayed the tree branches, rattling their leaves until they shimmered, rustling overhead. Squirrels spiraled around trees with every sense of threat. Geese honked as they flew past. Airborne insects were only occasionally bothersome. Neil beheld these kinetic commotions under the influence of a rather novel perspective. He could no longer dismiss them as unceremonious occurrences. They meant something… something special. He just wasn’t sure why that was exactly, at least not completely. He embraced the scenery, totally consuming the moment. It was a picture postcard-worthy event that no one could ever rob him of. He had broken free from the obligations of his profession, which kept him displaced from these kind of moments. Not today. He felt an immense sense of peace. An unfamiliar type of euphoria washed over him.

  Not long after, expectedly, Drew grew restless and began to fidget with his seatbelt restraint. Following his fruitless attempt at disengaging the mechanism, he looked up to his dad with beseeching eyes.

  “I wan’ get down, dad.”

  Neil had hoped Drew would remain content in his stroller, even after the lure of the fountain wore off. He desperately wanted to sit and just stare at all that was taking place around him and his son, at least for a few more minutes. But, he knew that was not going to happen. Drew was unrelenting when it came to fighting for things his way. What toddler isn’t?

  “OK, but you have to stay next to daddy,” Neil admonished.

  Drew acquiesced by smiling, “OK.”

  Neil pressed his thumb down on the restraint button. The release of the tension brought instant exuberance to his boy, as he lifted his son out of the stroller and carefully planted his tiny sandals on the grass. As agreed upon, Drew initially stood obediently alongside his father, while his ecstatic eyes surveyed the surrounding terrain.

  Neil knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Drew would grow anxiously restless again. His biggest fear was Drew charging towards the water. He even thought about placing one arm on the stroller, barricading the path towards the pond. It didn’t seem practical. There was a secondary option, based on past successes that held greater promise.

  With his eyes scrutinizing Drew’s every
movement, Neil reached inside the storage pockets of the stroller with his right hand. He blindly sifted through a collection of Drew’s favorite traveling toys. He pulled out a large, rubber brontosaurus and promptly offered it to his son. The toddler accepted the toy halfheartedly. The spectacle of the water fountain was clearly far more alluring. Neil picked up on his boy’s indifference and was actually delighted by Drew’s engrossment by something outside of his toy box.

  With his son momentarily held in check, Neil eased back to his original spot. Just then, something caught his eye. There, settled in the surrounding grass and dandelion weeds, was a bounty of various-sized twigs. They were fugitive escapes of the willow tree and a nearby pair of mature sugar maples.

  He gathered a handful of the twigs that were within easy reach. Intuitively, he then proceeded to use the twigs to assemble an assortment of miniature structures. His furtive actions quickly caught his son’s attention. Drew promptly relinquished his loose hold on the dinosaur, as he sat himself down to the great relief of his father.

  “What doin’, dad?” Drew inquired.

  “I’m going to build something for you, Tiger.”

  “Bil’