Partly Cloudy, 64°
According to visitors at a local park, the old man sitting on a bench must be a metaphor for something.
“Wow, look at that. So sad, I think,” stated fellow park-goer Melanie Winters as she walked her dog past the old man, who was quietly reading a book. “Such a strong reminder that we have to take care of our elders. Or maybe live in the moment? Well, whatever it is, it’s a strong reminder.”
Upon seeing the old man, passersby were struck with the realization that time comes for us all, and that one day they too will be old, or sit on a bench. All were in agreement that seeing the old man had been hugely impactful, even if they couldn’t quite determine what the takeaway had been.
“You know, I bet he’s outlived all his family and friends,” remarked jogger Jefferson Harris when he heard the man clear his throat. “That’s why he’s sitting on a bench alone. Man, I should call my parents…or join Tinder? Maybe I’ll just be more polite to waiters. Who knows?”
After finishing a chapter of his book, the old man went to a diner, where he sat at the counter and drank a black coffee.
