In the park at two in the afternoon on a Thursday, it was just me, the landscaping crew, and some birds circling overhead. The birds looked like seagulls, but I knew they couldn’t be, because where was the sea? The only body of water in the park was a pond smaller than a parking lot. 

I was walking on the paved pathway. One of the riding mowers was coming my way, mowing the grass along the edge of the path. The guy driving, shut off the blades and swerved wide into the field, in order to avoid throwing up grass clippings in my face. I waved and nodded at him in thanks. He nodded back but didn’t wave. He had his hands on the levers.