The Meeting

I originally wrote this as a short story and have now written it as a poem too.

The late summer air hung with scent of forest
Then whispered as it rippled through the trees
The dappled light made puzzles on the water
And danced to music of the gentle breeze

Just then a head of curls of deepest chestnut
Appeared outside a tree house from on high
Followed fast by strong and youthful shoulders
As he surveyed his domain with a sigh

He thought he heard a noise and look around him
And sure enough there stood another boy
He recognised him from up on the campsite
Arriving with his family full of joy

Unobserved he took in his appearance
His height, his size, the colour of his hair
Which curled beneath his baseball cap so softly
Bleached almost white from pale sunlight so fair

He noted now the boy’s clean, brand new sneakers
Then looked at his own battered and well worn
His favourite hand me down brown bomber jacket
His faded jeans from a bike-falls jagged torn

Hi there! he called down from his stately platform
Surprised by one more voice the blond looked up
I saw you all arriving at the campsite
He said, climbing down like a playful pup

With sensitive eyes and a friendly manner
They immediately felt trusting and at ease
Their cheeky wide grins became even wider
As they talked and laughed beneath the trees

They exchanged their tales of being injured
ne from baseball, the other from a bike
So open and familiar with each other
They felt they’d known each other all their life

The dark boy then delved deep into his pocket
Pulled out a candy bar, wrapper stuck fast
He offered some to his new buddy kindly
Who then accepted his offer at last

They learned they both were the same age, eleven
And when they grew they both wanted the same
To do well at high school and join the police force
Put the world to rights and make it sane

The blond boy looked at his new friend directly
‘Can you keep a secret?’ ‘Yeah I’ll try’
If you stop by my camper van tomorrow
I’ll show you there’s a bird’s nest nearby

I’d better get back now I’m late already
I should have been there 20 minutes ago
My Mom will be wondering where I’ve got to
She’ll be out with a search party in tow!

Ok, great! I’ll see you then tomorrow
Near my camper where the five pines stand
The blond boy then began to walk off quickly
And gestured with a waving of his hand

Hey, what is your name? I’m David Starsky
Ken Hutchinson he called back with a grin
Ken Hutchinson Starsky repeated smiling
I think I’ll call him ‘Hutch’, it just suits him!