Keeping Time

The days had been dry, rainless.

And even without rain, there was green there, sprouting in the backyard.

That's what he was thinking about that day and what he was going to ask Dad when he got home. Why the green was sprouting there, right in front of the step where he was stitting in the backyard.

But he didn't ask because Dad din't come home that day. He only came home several days later and when he did he was different. Strange. As man and as a father. As if he'd been crumpled.