the ones who watch with us

THE ONES WHO WATCH WITH US

July 30, 2025

We were standing still.  
Stopping to follow the squirrel  
up the tree.  
It had run there  
as we approached on our walk.  

After it ran a few laps around the tree,  
we spotted it sitting and looking.  
We locked eyes.  

So I waved.  
And then Malik waved,  
but only after I asked him to.  
A little flutter of fingers,  
like he knew it meant something.  
Like the squirrel might wave back.  

Below the squirrel,  
a small face was glued to the bark.  
Two eyes.  
One nose.  
A set of lips.  
It gave the tree a PERSONality.  

Even the old lamp was looking.  

He saw it all.  
The squirrel.  
The wave.  
The strange face.  
The way I paused.  

I noticed what he noticed.  
He noticed what I noticed.  
And maybe one day,  
he won’t remember the squirrel  
who looked back,  
but I’ll remember for him.