My home does not have a backyard or a front yard. The way our home is situated on the lot gives us one large side yard, instead of front and back. It is a treasure in our urban neighborhood.
And since we are at the end of our street, this leaves only one house that we are nestled up against, one of the original Stately Homes built in 1900. At one point, we were probably this home’s yard. It probably had acres around it. But now, it has no front yard and a 15 by 15-foot backyard which our kitchen window looks out onto.
We have lived in this house for 17 years now and have outstayed many of the Stately Home’s owners. There was the first owner, before we had children or screens on that kitchen window. In the summer we talked to them through that window, sometimes sharing music as we worked inside and they worked out. That’s how close this window is.
Or the neighbors that moved in after them who only went into that yard to let their rat sized dog with a Mohawk go out to relieve itself. We knew it was that time of the day for they would scream at the shivering canine “MAKE PEE! MAKE PEE NOW!”
I was not sad when they moved away.
For the last several years a business has taken over the house using it for offices. We have not had any interaction except for that one time an office party went into the evening and a couple decided to, well let’s just say “fornicate”, because that word rarely gets used anymore, in the backyard. Yes, right next to our kitchen window.
So imagine my surprise when I came home from vacation to find a very large trampoline set up in that postage stamp of a yard. It is one of those types of trampolines which became very popular during the pandemic and have netting on the circumference of the contraption so the child cannot bounce out.
This device takes up the entire yard and when I saw it, I audibly moaned. What the heck! Now I have a trampoline park right outside my kitchen window? I thought about all the ways this was really going to cramp my style. How it was going WRECK my peace and quiet. SERENITY NOW! I pictured myself screaming like George Costanza’s Dad.
Until the other day… when I walked into the kitchen to start dinner. It was a sunny, crisp day. Perhaps the first after months….perhaps even years of rain. And that’s when I saw him.
A little towheaded 5 year old bounce into view.
I wasn’t expecting this, even though I had seen the trampoline. And then there he came again.
Up and then down.
I followed him with my eyes.
It was entrancing.
Then I heard him. Each time his body became airborne, weightless, he giggled the sweetest, most beautiful cherubic giggle.
The Kill Joy in me melted.
The little boy walked around in circles in a happy light dance. He sang a little song like some sort of Christopher Robin as he leaped and sprung, around and around and up and down.
The next night was equally beautiful, warmer than usually and dry as a bone and my little Christopher Robin came out with 4 of his little friends. The 5 of them held hands in a circle and did somersaults. They squealed and hugged and sang and danced. I remembered the silence of 2020. When I longed to hear children play. When I longed to hear children be children.
And I now have joy right outside my window.
What’s wrong with me?
Why didn’t I want that?
Oh, love this!
Beautifully written, The scene unfolds as if we are all experiencing the trampoline joy with you.