Five Minute Friday "Connection"

Acres  and acres of strawberries
Mounds of dirt
Encased in plastic
Small plants poke up
Some blossom
Some fruit
So brave to disregard
The impending rainy winter weather.

 Today the men are removing the irrigation pipes
long silver veins pumping sustenance
Through the extended months of drought
His baseball cap says "Guadalupe"
He can't take his eyes off my dog
I wave a greeting
He smiles and compliments the pup
His eyes are longing
We know this look
He doesn't have to say it

Uptown, in church, on hiking trails
In nursing homes and on the beach
The ones who've lost
The ones who've loved
They greet her like a ghost
Lucy instinctively moves closer
"I know", I say, "I know, me too".

I walk halfway
Up the row to meet him
His teeth are sparse
His hands are caked and cracked
She jumps excitedly
We exchange the obligatory pleasantries
My verbs disjointed
Spanish may not be his first language either
And
It's Lucy he needs to see

Adios
Tiene un buen dia
His smile wide
His cap tipped
His back a little straighter

A four-legged ambassador
Just out for a walk
Each pat and lick
Latent memories beckons
A flicker of childhood innocence swells
Followed by the subtle pang
Of gnawing hopefulness.