A Public Park

“So I'm in the future?”

As I sat on one of the benches, I kept asking that same question again and again. This makes sense why the conversation with the policeman didn't connect with my answers. It is because I don't belong here, have never belonged here until recently.

After knowing about the date, I went out of the police station while ignoring any helps from them. Can I receive any answers to this phenomenon? At the very least, I don't want to unintentionally create major problems down the line.

As I was walking down the stairs, I had just noticed how big this police station is. The size of our office that we had just been is almost the average size of a Koban. Outside is almost the size of a shopping mall, people are moving in a constant rate. Many offices like the one that I had been were present. However, one particular thing that I noticed is how it was just an oversize police station. It was huge but also, surprisingly, quite basic. If I have to compare, it was like many Kobans were stacked together to create a hub, that is what it looked like. The reception down at floor table and its purpose might be to give directions or make reservation. I don't know who would make reservation at the police station but it was there. 

However, let's start with the first of the three golden questions, which is why am I here. The last memory that I can remember is the earthquake before being knocked out. That must be linked with my arrival here and, if it is the case, is there anyone who is here the same as I am? With my current information, I shouldn’t dive too deep.

Secondly, how was I transported here? The earthquake could be a sign of warning for the main activation. Furthermore, it is common to see failures in the company that I was in. Their procedures always welcomed innovations and, as a result, some of which might hadn’t been checked for safety.

So that might answer the third question, what was it? Was it a time machine and I happened to be caught by it? It could be but, with an invention such as a time machine, it had to be checked carefully before making a debut.

Therefore, with all of those thoughts, I can finally say:

“I have no ideas why I'm here!”

As I took a break from thinking, I came to realize how beautiful my surrounding is. Currently, it is around 3 AM but the people are still energetic like it is 3 PM. Some people are jogging, some are having a picnic; The children are playing at the public playground while the elderly are doing some Joya exercises near the fountain. The public works are incredibly done from my perspective. Aside from the playground and the fountain, there are trees, benches, swings, hammocks, street lamps, all of them are neatly organized. Even the food venue doesn’t feel out-of-place as it feels it was intended to be there. With everything combined, it feels like the most ideal place to chill out with friends and family.

“For doing a public park, this era has surely done a terrific job. Certainly, this is way better than mine”

From my early childhood to my current adult, public parks aren't the places I would seek out to relax. The place is most likely will be filled with homeless people, always sleeping on all the benches. The fountains either don’t work or contains unsanitized water, the public playground doesn’t get much maintenance so is usually relatively rusty. Sometimes, there are public speeches and there are people who will go there. However, most of the speeches only involve politics, ending up with people being angry rather than being joyful.

“In a way, I feel somewhat jealous of this generation, enjoying their time while not knowing what it used to be like”

I mumbled those words to myself, wishing I could have had the chance to be as optimistic as them.

“Hey what's with the long face?”

“Yes?”

A voice came up to me while I was deep in my thoughts. It was a generally aged man, presumingly was jogging a few seconds ago.

“Young people ought not to make such a sad face like yours, it might shorten their life”

He said it joyfully and followed up by sitting down with me.

“What seems to be the problem, young boy?”

He asked gently

“Does everyone have the rights to enjoy happiness?”

I didn’t intend to ask him a question but my mouth said it before I could think. In some way, that is what I was being bothered by. Is it too late for me to enjoy carelessness

“Haha, are all of your generations can only think about that?”

“Probably it's just me”

I awkwardly smiled

“I used to have a time when I didn’t know what to do with myself. I used to be an off-the-mill office worker, didn’t have any hobbies. I worked 7 days a week because I didn’t know what to do with my free time. Back then, I might be somewhat like you”

“What happened later?”

I immediately asked

“Seeing my desperate state, one of my co-workers asked if I could go somewhere with them. Knowing that I might reject, they asked our boss for me to take an absence the next day. Admittedly, I accepted the offer but didn’t have high hopes”

As he said, he looked up the sky, thousands of stars were simmering directly into our conversation

“The first place we hang out together was this park. We talked so much, ate a lot of desserts, did multiple activities and we were having a blast. Before that, I thought my life didn’t need these kinds of activities . Having experienced directly, I knew how to let loose and just have plain fun. I haven’t gone back to being too pressing about my life, thinking that I don’t deserve it or they are not essential. I just have fun until this day.”

He said with a genuine smile on his face. Stars are simmering upon on his eyes, thousands of memories like the stars faraway

That's right! Why do I keep thinking that I don't deserve to be happy? My life has had many downs but that doesn’t mean that I'm destined to be there forever. I can make my own choices in life, being here can give me the opportunities to experience a world without a care.

“But what happened to your friends?”

Again I asked before thinking. But I'm kinda curious about his friends

“For us, we went our own ways”

Back staved by my own words.

“Thank you very much!”

But now, I have gotten rid of my pressure. Whatever lies ahead, I will accept it!

“No problems, I have to get going. I hope that we will cross paths again”

As soon as he finished saying that, he left the bench and then faded away into the people. I waved at him with many emotions but with one goal, which is to enjoy life!

“But still, do all elderly are that tall?”

…

“That boy, he really reminds me of past self”

The senior man said that while running. He kept thinking what had it been like if he hadn’t shown up.

“Maybe it was fate for me to talk to that boy, like how my friends went up to me”

After saying that, he began to remember the first time they went to this park and then being lost instantly.

“Somehow, I can’t seem to find them…”

Suddenly, a voice came up

“Ah, there you are! We have been looking for you! How many times are we going to get lost? We haven’t improved since the first time we have been here”

A group of seniors waved at him while saying. Having found what he had looked for, he went up to them

“Hey, you guys won't believe who I have just recently met. There was this boy and he…”