Wonderful

Her tire ran over yet another grouping of crunchy, orange and brown leaves and she couldn’t help but smile at the arrival of fall. She inhaled deeply and was met with its scent; there are few things as good as the smell of autumn.

She turned her bike off the path and through the tall, black iron gates to be met with a new scent; the smell of flowers, dirt, and the faint aroma of formaldehyde. She always thought it was amazing how the natural, beautiful smell of flowers could mask the horrid smell of death in a cemetery.

She continued on the thin, winding road around the bend to be met by a parked black SUV. The sight almost surprised her; people rarely visited the cemetery at this hour, especially when the sun has set on a chilly evening. She shrugged it off and continued pedaling.

Turning around another slight bend, she saw him - an elderly man, probably in his late 80’s, quietly sitting in a lawn chair out in the middle of the graveyard. He sat stoically, staring down at a simple tombstone marked by beautiful red roses. No movement, no words, no nothing. The sight broke her heart.

Her bike tire ran over another crunchy leaf as she road by and he looked up slowly to meet her gaze. She didn’t know how to respond exactly, but she raised a hand as a wave and gave him a sincere smile. He softly beamed a genuine grin in return and waved happily.

The whole experience warmed her heart. It was short and to a bystander, it would mean nothing, but to a girl frustrated by the world and all those in it, it was a reminder that were still some decent people out there, people that aren’t all that bad.

She continued her bike ride, pedaling hard, sweat beading at her brow, the cold air wrapping itself around her, and she was put at ease by the thought that everything is still wonderful.