My Place

 As I walk towards my destination, I hear the cacophony of cicadas chirping away around the hill. This makes me wonder where they are because I can hear some very close but they are too well hidden to find them. Over the music coming from my headphones and the cicadas, I can hear the creaking call of the seagulls that call this hill their home. They float above the Wellington Harbour and the boats that rest there. The boats come and go with the tides, most being fishers bringing back their haul or going to fetch it.

I reach the top of the hill and see the bench that awaits me. I wander over to it and hear the wind whipping through the trees and the faint sounds of traffic down below. Sitting down I feel the cold, hard plastic of the seat and shudder in surprise. It's chilly up here, I should have brought a jacket. I'll try and remember if it's cold next time. Hopefully it gets warmer soon, otherwise, I might have to stop walking for a while until the sun comes back.

The loud crash of trucks moving and machinery down in Seaview bring me back to actuality and I can see a car cresting the steep road that leads to this point. The people park their car by the reservoir and prepare for a walk down the path. Just after they leave an old woman and her dog come by. They both stop to say hello and move on as they continue their walk. I guess I'm not the only one who thought it was a good day to come walking. This is the best weather we've had for a while so I guess they're all making the most of it. They all have reasons to walk though, social activity or for their pets. I walk because it provides a reason to get out of the house and it helps when I'm feeling down to get some fresh air. Maybe that's what they are doing too, who knows.

As I take one last look around before I leave, I see all the rubbish from the previous occupants of this bench littered down in the bushes I see before me. I shake my head in shame as I turn around to walk back down to the warmth of my house.