all the strangers that you have met

title: florida – artist: patty griffin

It is spring. It is gorgeous. And I am loving it! In the last couple of days, the blooms have taken to blooming and wee leaves have taken to unfurling. And there are few things that are quite so splendid.

But one of them is Brad. Brad is pretty friggin splendid.

While my mom and I were out for a walk this afternoon, Brad spotted us, in his stylin’ Harley t-shirt. And that is when he yelled out, "Hey guys!" And we said "Hi." Then he followed with, "I’m driving my car!" I shouted back, "That’s pretty cool!" He got out and came over, carrying on a conversation all the while, pointing out a Jeep that, as he put it, "is really big!" Then he had to get back to his car, and we continued our walk.

On the way back, my mom and I stopped to sit awhile on a bench near the pond.
 


 
Some of the geese still seem a little hormonal and thus a touch more nutty than usual. But they were all in the pond by the time we sat down.

When we got ready to finish heading back home, Brad and Faith (his grandma) were headed back to Faith’s, which meant they were coming our way. We got another, "Hey, guys!" So we got the formal introductions underway, along with a couple of handshakes with Brad (I got the two-handed handshake). Brad told me to watch out for a goose (who had wandered out of the pond) because, "he’s mean!" Then, while we were talking to Faith, Brad moseyed on over to where the geese were, even though he was barely taller than them. When Faith called him back, he told us, "Come for a walk with us!" While Faith and my mom and I tried to explain that we had to go in opposite directions. He grabbed my hand and said, "Come on! Follow us!" As he tried to take me for a walk. When the agreeing to this adventure was still not occurring, his new tact was, "Just stay on the road!" and "Come on!" When he finally came to terms with us having to part ways, he let out a cheery "Bye, guys!"

And I’m not sure there is a more adorable boy than Brad. He was oh so sweet and endearing and even more awesome than the springiest of spring days.

I totally want one. Well, you know, in due course, of course. But, OMG, awwww!