The soil is damp and loose. There’s a trail and a bridge where hikers and joggers pass him by without notice. He's still, there, quietly observing them. He wonders if they will ever take the time to look his way. The leaves fall from the tree branches, as it is autumn now. The gold and cayenne forest smells like moss and wet dirt, from the rains that have fallen the night before. He sits, he waits, and he watches the people. They mind their own business while he continues to wonder if he is invisible to them. He observes a family of four partaking in a picnic this cool fall afternoon. They too ignore his presence. A slight smile forms on his lips, watching this family’s loving interaction. He is reminded of his own family – the one he once had. A small red ball rolls to his foot. He is surprised when a little girl approaches him. “Hi,” she says to him. “Hello,” he replies and smiles “Why are you so sad?” The girl asks, tilting her head to the side.
