Time

After many houses and a lot of walking last night, Katherine decided that she was too tired to continue and wanted to head back to Mimi and Papa's house to wait for Daddy and Emily to be done. It just so happened that she came to this decision right at the old path through the woods that leads from Watson to Thatcher Street, a path that I ran through countless times in my youth. The woods were a prime location for hiding during whole neighborhood hide and seek games, or for riding your bike through when trying to race your friends from one part of the neighborhood to the other.

For old times sake, I decided to "cut through the woods" (a phrase that brings back more childhood memories than I can possibly put here) with Katherine. As we started done the path, it became apparent that it was way too overgrown to continue, epsecially in the dark with only the glow of a small flashlight to guide our way. It's funny...I still know that path like I just ran through it yesterday. I could still make it out somewhat but it was just too dangerous to go any further.

It had been a long time since that path was used.

For a brief moment though, while standing in the beginning of the path, I could swear I heard the leaves crunching beneath the weight of a bike, a child counting loudly (ONE TWO THREE....) and the laughter of small childrens they ran through the woods to the other side.