My friend had just arrived from another overseas job and had only a few days before she had to leave again. We agreed to meet on Commercial and have one of Joe's famous lattes.
The evening was fine. We had our coffee and wandered along the Drive. Then by silent mutual consent, we turned away from the busy atmosphere of the main drag.
We strolled into the park, sat on the bleachers and watched some kids playing ball with a long-haired young man in a lavender shirt.
They had an unusual dog with them. His large ears seemed too big for his skinny body, making him appear unnaturally alert. He was very good with the children.
After awhile an older woman sat on the bleachers nearby. Judi greeted her and we began chatting. We asked about the dog. The woman said it was an Australian Shepherd, a great pet.
She was from Amsterdam, and it was her last evening in Vancouver. Her son had come here to join a girl friend he'd met on the internet. This mother left her husband at home and used her vacation time to come to Vancouver to see her son and his new girl friend with her three children. She told us she was glad to have seen where her only child was now living.
"He was nearly finished his Master's at university, but he dropped out." She sighed. "He seems happy. It's his life of course." She talked to us frankly, and I was very glad my friend had made the effort to speak to this woman. Our conversation felt easy, right and true.
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