Umbrellas
Elias strolled down Greywater Street, his breath curling in the thick morning fog. He passed an umbrella, black, sturdy, perfectly motionless, suspended upright in the middle of the road. He stepped around it without a second glance.
Further along, another umbrella stood just outside the bakery. A third lingered near the post office. As he reached the tram stop, he found a woman adjusting the angle of a red umbrella, hanging just beside the bench. She tugged at its curved handle, then stepped back to inspect it.
“Excuse me,” Elias said, nodding at the umbrella. “Having problems?”
She glanced at him, then back at the umbrella. “Oh no, not at all. It was slightly off-centre, so I fixed it.”
Elias nodded approvingly. He hated it when they hung unevenly. He looked down the street. The umbrellas dotted the road at their usual intervals, none crowding doorways, none interfering with foot traffic.
Elias checked his watch. He had just enough time to grab a coffee before work. He passed another umbrella. It hadn't been there yesterday. New arrival, he thought. It was straight, well-balanced. No need to fuss with it.
At the café, the barista handed him his coffee. “How are things?” she asked.
“Fine,” Elias said. He took a sip. “Quite a few brollies out today.”
She smiled. “Yes. It’s the weather. We’re expecting rain soon.”
Midjourney, Photoshop
Umbrellas
Elias strolled down Greywater Street, his breath curling in the thick morning fog. He passed an umbrella, black, sturdy, perfectly motionless, suspended upright in the middle of the road. He stepped around it without a second glance.
Further along, another umbrella stood just outside the bakery. A third lingered near the post office. As he reached the tram stop, he found a woman adjusting the angle of a red umbrella, hanging just beside the bench. She tugged at its curved handle, then stepped back to inspect it.
“Excuse me,” Elias said, nodding at the umbrella. “Having problems?”
She glanced at him, then back at the umbrella. “Oh no, not at all. It was slightly off-centre, so I fixed it.”
Elias nodded approvingly. He hated it when they hung unevenly. He looked down the street. The umbrellas dotted the road at their usual intervals, none crowding doorways, none interfering with foot traffic.
Elias checked his watch. He had just enough time to grab a coffee before work. He passed another umbrella. It hadn't been there yesterday. New arrival, he thought. It was straight, well-balanced. No need to fuss with it.
At the café, the barista handed him his coffee. “How are things?” she asked.
“Fine,” Elias said. He took a sip. “Quite a few brollies out today.”
She smiled. “Yes. It’s the weather. We’re expecting rain soon.”
Midjourney, Photoshop