Near Enough | 2 of 3

Not Cold Yet

…

Co-created by DALL-E

the air had changed
cooler, yes
but sharper than that

not wind exactly
just something moving through it

I stood there a second longer than needed
waiting to see
if I was actually here

the bench rocked when I sat down
I put both hands on it
until it didn’t

she set a paper bag beside us
folded over twice
something inside touched glass

she didn’t open it
I didn’t ask

a jogger passed
headphones in
already somewhere else

it’s strange
how public a place can get
once fewer people are in it

“You thought I wouldn’t come?”

she smiled at the ground
said she wasn’t sure

I said neither was I
which wasn’t an answer
but was close enough