The Pond

Three times a week, Owen Namura drove his mother from her mobile home to the pond in the park. He would unload her walker and then assist her to walk the 200 yards to the stone wall surrounding the pond, and then help her to sit on it.

Once she was situated, each would smoke a cigarette. He used to smoke a cigar, but she did not like its smell. So, he chose mentholated cigarettes instead.

They would look at the pond, but neither would speak. Then after twenty minutes or so, Owen would help his mother to stand and then assist her as she slowly walked back to the car. As he drove her back to her immaculately maintained mobile home, surrounded by thousands of carefully tended flowers, they would sometimes converse in Japanese.