Refuse

I stood under the shade of a tree and waited for a friend to arrive. A half empty plastic water bottle lay in the dirt. Crushed and tossed away by someone, it gathered dust as it waited to be picked up again.

On clear days like today, it would turn cloudy as the water evaporates, only to be held back by the bottle itself. Most days it would just sit patiently. Tightly capped, it clung to its contents, refusing to let go.

My friend arrived and squatted beside me in the dirt as I was unscrewing the cap. "Don't touch that!" she exclaimed. I just smiled and winked at her as I finished and tossed the cap away.

She was again hiding behind those shades, thinking I would not notice the crying or the sleepless nights. I picked her up, dusted her off, and steered her away from the dirt.