Ambience

 This evening after work I took the bus home, but rode it a ways past my stop. I went to a coffee shop on the eastern edge of the city. It's still mostly takeout. I got a little cookie and a cup of coffee. From there I headed to the park.

In the park I sat on a bench by the fountain, which hasn't actually had water flowing through it in a while but still looks purdy. I chewed on the cookie, enjoyed the coffee, and read my book. It's an anthology of short stories about witches. Most of the stories I've read in it haven't really grabbed me. Too much worldbuilding and not enough impressionism, but that's just me.

But it didn't matter. With the clocks turned back it was the dark of night by this time. This is a nice little park, a playground and lawn at the base of a long trail. People tend to be socially distanced because it's New England. On the other hand a lot of denizens are maskless. Combined with the scattered lights in the darkness that gives it an otherworldly feel, or more aptly an outside-of-time one. Hanging out there brings a dreamy excitement to the day.