The Morning Stroll

Tara walked down the street.  She didn't know where she was headed but it was a fine day -  too fine to stay inside.  Tara continued on with her trek, and she walked under a sun that cuddled her body and gave her much warmth.  Tara felt like a flower on the glow, and she thought to herself what better day to take a stroll?


On the way to the river Tara met Pearl who walked with her boyfriend William.  William smiled and Tara and he waved.

“Hello there;”  cried Pearl as she ate a cream bun.  “How are you Tara?”  she asked.

“Oh Pearl I am very good;”  said Tara as she began to smile.  “Are you having a good day?”  she asked.

“Oh yes;”  said Pearl as she smiled.  “This is my boyfriend William;”  she added.

“Hello William;”  told Tara as she smiled a nervous grin.

“Charmed I am sure;”  muttered William as he finished off the bun he had.  “Sticky fingers;”  he muttered before he wiped his hands on his pants.

“So where are you headed Tara?”  asked Pearl as William began to mutter about the need for soap.

“I am headed for the river;”  told Tara as she smiled to Pearl.

“We just came from the river;”  told Pearl as she chuckled.  “It smelled and I told William I had much rather eat a picnic somewhere else!”  she added.  “However we got hungry and ate it on the way;”  she sung.

“She only brought two buns;”  told William as he began to grimace -  he hated having sticky fingers, he needed to wash them.  “Pearl it looks as though I will need to go back to the river in order to wash these fingers;”  stated William as he groaned inside of his chest.  

“Oh very well!”  gasped Pearl as she giggled.   “Go to the river and I shall continue on to the tree;”  she added.

“Very well;”  told William as he grinned.  “I shall not be too long!”  he gasped before he ran off.

“Oh that William;”  sighed Pearl before a cry broke her attention.  

“Pearl, Tara!”  cried Katie from near the tree.  “Come over here for a chat!”  she gasped. 

“Do you want to come for a chat?”  invited Pearl to Tara who smiled. 

“I really would like a bit of a stroll.  How about I take a few moments to walk and then return to the tree after?”  she asked.

“Oh yes!”  cried Pearl as she giggled.  “Go for your stroll, I shall tell Katie you wish to gaze at tadpoles!”  she gasped.

“I just want to see the river for a moment;”  told Tara.  “I did come all this way for the view;”

“Very well!”  gasped Pearl before she continued on with her walk.  “Tell William to expect company!”  she added.

“Oh yes;”  muttered Tara before she continued on to the river.


Tara walked to the river and then she glared at the water.  She was thirsty and wanted to take a sip, however she knew better then to take any water.  Tara let her eyes wander around the water for a moment, however a break of twig broke her attention.

“What was that?”  asked Tara as she turned her head.

“Just me, William;”  told William as he stopped short and grinned.

“Oh hello there William;”  told Tara as she sighed.  “Pearl has met Katie and joined forces for mighty discussion;”  she declared.

“Oh that is a shame;”  muttered William as he shook his head.  “That Pearl will never stop her chatter now!”  he added.  “I shall have to call the occasion off;”  he said.

“What occasion?”  asked Tara.

“Our date of course;”  declared William as he sighed.  “Obviously it cannot pursue;”  he added. 

“Why not?” asked Tara.

“Because we will not be alone;”  told William as he glared at Tara.  “Would you not want to be alone to pursue a date?” he asked.

“Why of course;”  told Tara as she began to feel a tad bit foolish.

“See?  Then that is what I mean;”  told William as he glared.  “You and I are on the same mental frame;”  he muttered.  

“Oh yes I understand;”  said Tara as she shrugged.  “But it is not anything special;”  she added.

“It is very special;”  told William as he glared.  “It means something;” he added as he stepped up to Tara until only a breath away.  

Tara wanted to step back however her feet were glued to the marsh.  She was close to the river and one step and she might sink into the soil or slip.

“So knowing this, what can happen?”  asked William as he glared at Tara with fondness.

“Nothing;”  muttered Tara.  “Go to Pearl and enjoy her company;”  she advised.  “Forget about what you feel or think now;”  she added.

“Oh of course;”  told William as he stepped away.  “Ruin two possible occasions;”  he added before he flung his fingers and left.

Tara sighed as she glared into the water.  She was glad that she had the guts to stand up to Williams invitation, however she began to wonder what would have happened if she had not fought his invite.  Could they have ended up sharing an odd romance?  Tara let her fingers drift into the water as she dreamed.  She was unable to think, all she knew was that the moment was over.

“That would have been odd if...”  she muttered before she wiped her fingers over the face of the water until her reflection rippled.  “Never mind;”  she gasped before she stepped away.  “Best to move on;”  she declared before she continued on with her stroll.