Not Pictured

We stole away, my friend and I, with equal curiosity.

"I wonder where that leads . . . ?"

As we stepped onto the boardwalk, we instantly knew that in partial answer to our question, a stench betrayed the presence of an unseen carcass.

Unseen, yes, but not undiscovered. Phew. Not pictured . . .

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We pressed on across the covered bridge and onto the path. I mused about the possibility of chiggers living in the straw-strewn path. "Probably not," she said. Twenty-four hours later, though . . .

Unseen, yes, but not undiscovered. Itchy. Not pictured . . . 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nearing the end of the quiet path, we lit upon a little sign. Privy to the remembrance, though not to its story, we paused for moment before continuing on our way.

Unseen, yes, but not undiscovered. Grief. Not pictured . . .

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are . . .

vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

~End Quote