Simon Says

    I arrive at the plaza on this warm Friday night. There are more people in the plaza than usual. As I walk into the plaza I am surrounded by smelly cigarette smoke despite the "NO SMOKING ZONE" sign. There is a man and a woman sitting on the bench where I usually sit. As I pass by them the man gives me a seemingly dirty look. The woman seems just as discontent. Avoiding the negativity, I sit on the bleachers right in front of the gazebo. I had seen a small family, the Navarros, sitting on the benches to the right side of me. I listen in on their conversation and realize they are speaking Spanish. I can overhear them talking about playing a game but I get distracted by a group of 4 people, 2 men and 2 women, speaking loudly and laughing behind me. They have a Bostonian accent. They are talking about “good old downtown Burbank”. I wonder if they mean Burbank, California. They continue chattering about their memories in Burbank and disappear behind “The Kid” gift shop. Two types of music playing in the plaza today. There is a woman in front of the “Authentic Outpost” restaurant singing to jazz music. The café on the corner the plaza is playing soft rock as usual. There are people chattering inside the café as always and clapping after every song.

     The Navarro family approaches the bleachers where I am sitting. The kids and the wife sit on the bleachers and the Mr. Navarro begins to explain the game in Spanish. I sounds a lot like “Simon Says”. I realize now that it is Simon Says when the man begins the game and says “Simon dice tocate la nariz con la mano izquierda” which translates to “Simon says touch your nose with your left hand”. Alexis is the first one to lose so she sits down on the bleachers. As they continue their game I turn my sights to my left. I see quite a few people walking to their cars. The music at the corner café is no longer playing music. I see a van pull up and a man start loading instruments and equipment. The plaza is very quiet. The only sounds I hear are the Navarros playing their game. The grumpy man and woman are still sitting on my bench but they are really quiet. A young couple is sitting on the bench near the church. They are talking but very quietly. They are holding hands and sitting close to each other. All of the sudden I hear church bells. I had never heard the church bells here before. I look at my phone and see the time, 9:50 p.m. I have never been here this late. I decide to leave. Mrs. Navarro sees and gives me a faint smile. I smile back and walk towards my car. I scratch my mosquito bites, cross myself, and drive off.