It was a quiet place. A place where good friends would gather in the early morning or late afternoon to exchange news. Sometimes they would sit and listen while others became quite vocal over the latest controversy. Sometimes the arguments were so intense it was better to leave quietly without becoming involved. A small part of the group frequently did that, thinking that there were times when discretion was indeed the better part of valor.

The discussions? Sometimes they were intellectual, at other times they bordered on the frivolous. But it was those very conversations that held the group together. For without them the people would have to return to the reality of life. The loneliness and the desperation of living alone. Alone with their personal dragons. No, it was better by far to join the little group and sit on the sidelines. The dragons could not get them there.

Oh, there were times when outsiders would attempt to join the group. The problem was that they simply could never grasp the rules. They would often yell and call out names better used in an alley-way in an attempt to gain recognition. Or they would shout obscenities in an effort to win an argument they were not yet welcome to join. The older folks ignored them, and they soon left only to be replaced by others. Few lingered long enough to become accepted.

Yes, it was a special group that once gathered in that spot to share their thoughts and fears while seeking the companionship they so desperately needed.

I wonder what ever happened to them? Take Care...