Pandemic Chronicles

Some new neighbors moved in and I haven’t seen them to say hello. It’s quiet here on my pretty tree-lined street. Too quiet. The other day standing at the front door staring out, I saw three tiny boys walk into my yard. They had on party hats. One by one, each boy approached the hummingbird solar lights hanging on a shepherd’s hook beside the front stoop. The first one said “bow wow” to the lights. The second did the same. They waited while the littlest boy said it. Then a woman I didn’t recognize rushed over and collected them, quickly, before I had time to react. Saying “bow wow” to hummingbird lights. A game, a ritual? Little boy magic. I was enchanted. I moved the lights closer toward the boys’ yard. I hope they come back.