The old man sat there, looking longingly at his arm, as if to be looking at a wristwatch. A wristwatch he once could have owned, but no longer could afford. The park was full of parent’s micromanaging children and pushing strollers. A pair of lovers walked hand in hand, smiling and looking affectionately at one another. The man did not see any of it. Oblivious to the activity buzzing around him, he stared at absolutely nothing. A nothing that was very much evident in the man’s eyes. Bees warned children to stay away and across the street, construction workers hammered away at a soon-to-be building. But nothing could spark the man’s enthusiasm. Loneliness filled the man’s heart leaving no room for emotion.

In the distance, a little girl played alone in a sandbox. She looked around, searching for a playmate. Her mother was nowhere in sight. About to give up on her search, her eyes fell upon the old man. She wondered to herself where his playmate was and decided she could substitute for the man’s absent companion. No older than 5, she skipped right up to his bench. Pigtails with ribbons and a pink frilly dress garbed the girl with innocence like no other. The two figures studied each other for a minute, gaze unwavering. A shy, tentative smile lit up on her young face as she hopped up on the bench next to the man, held his wrinkly hand in her tiny one, and broke through to his lonely heat.