Big, Little, Lots
a story by james rozak
“What you doing?”, asked the boy from his side of the park bench.
“I’m just thinking”, smiled the man from his side of the park bench.
“What you thinking about?”, the boy asked.
The man paused for just a moment.
”Oh, about big things and little things and lots of things.”
“Interesting.“ said the boy, while he munched on a monstrous chocolate chip cookie in his hand. Crumbs fell down his face and flew in every direction.
“What are some of the little things?”, he asked curiously.
The man smiled as he looked out across the park.
”About how nice the trees look in autumn. And how I enjoy seeing people out walking and enjoying the fresh air. About how beautiful the clouds look in the sky.”
“Ohhh hey, i like those lil’ things too!”, said the boy.
They sat for a moment looking together at all the little things.
The man smiled as he looked out across the park.
”About how nice the trees look in autumn. And how I enjoy seeing people out walking and enjoying the fresh air. About how beautiful the clouds look in the sky.”
“Ohhh hey, i like those lil’ things too!”, said the boy.
They sat for a moment looking together at all the little things.
“What are some of the big things you’re thinking? “
The man looked over thoughtfully.
”About the things that I want to do.”
”Interesting.” The boy perked.. “Well, what do you want to do?”
”Big things and little things and lots of things.”
”Well, what are some lil’ things?”
”Well, they aren’t things I really want to do. They’re things that I need to do. You know – grown up things. Worky things. Like chores and cleaning and that.”
”Yeah, I tell my mom cleaning is grown up things, and she still makes me do them.
So what are some of the big things?”
”They’re things I wish i would have done a long time ago. Like writing. Like writing a book”.
”Ohhhh! I like books. Why haven’t you written your book?”
”Hmmm. Little reasons, big reasons, lots of reasons”.
”What are some of the little reasons?”
Grown up things. I’m always too busy. And then when I try to write, I don’t always know what to write about.
”Well, i like what you have to say. I like talking to you.”
”Well, that’s very kind. I like talking to you too.” They smiled at each other.
”So, what are some of the big reasons?”
”Because, really, I don’t believe in myself. I don’t think people would like or read my stories.”
”Interesting. I’d read your stories. I bet you have a good stories.”
”I don’t know. Sometimes, when you get older, your brain gets too grown up. And then you forget what it is to imagine and dream. Why do you think I’d have good stories?”
”Ummmm. Because little reasons, and big reasons, and lots of reasons.”
The man smiled. “What’s a little reason?”
Because you like sitting on benches thinking about little things and bigs things and lots of things.
”That’s true.” said the man. “And what a big reason?”
”Because it’s the big thing that you imagine and dream about doing. If all you do are the little things, you’ll never get to the big things. You just need to believe in yourself, and that there’s more people like me who would read your book.”
The man sat looking at his new little friend. “What’s your name?”
James. What’s your name?
James, he smiled.
Interesting, said the boy. “Cookie?”
“What you doing?”, asked the boy from his side of the park bench.
“I’m just thinking”, smiled the man from his side of the park bench.
