In the Middle of the Lake

He was at the middle of the lake loafing over the gentle waves in a kayak he had paddled all the way. The breeze tingling his tightly curled hair, that has been begging the visit of a comb since the official announcement of the hurricane season.

An island forty five hard-stroke paddles away, flourishes in trees and shrubs of a tropical caliber he has no clue what they are. Pines maybe? The spread of a golf course, bike paths and well intentioned green lawns that make up the park, contrast the water, posing as a fantastic backdrop of an ideal picture for someone in a kayak in the middle of a lake.

The sun was up, generously delivering its heat, to swell up the body temperature, that generates perspiration at a rate known only to those who are blessed by Florida sunshine and cooled by its humidity.

A lovely bird in dark green and a blue beak drank joyously at the bank of the lake, carefree and anchored on a branch. Water lovers in paddle boats,relaxing and conversing.

From a distance, the lovely couple Vahid and May synchronize their paddles and chart their course along, making their away around the island.

He follows their move to circulate the island the second time. With over thirty minutes under his belt, it was time for some soccer in the park. He paddled to the shore.

With green grass and a lively soccer mate (Vahid), he played for a while, took a break, drank some water and continued playing goaly and kicker in turns with a youth (introduced as Alex) in red shirt and jeans who knows his way on the soccer field. Flanked by a family having BBQ at the park, and a fire rescue team in training, there was a lot more to see and hear, but soccer was all that his was into.

He heard the call, "Time to go, Lets go." He waved goodbye to his soccer mate and rushed to the car, sweat cooling off like drippings of water from a cold bottle left on a counter.

At home he took a long shower, thought about the tasty Pei Wei sweet and sour chicken waiting for him, he murmured under his breath, "What a good day. I feel so vivified, refreshed and off course got a good workout."

And that is the story of how I spent today with May and Vahid at the Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach Florida.