A few weeks ago, my family and I went to one of those splash places.  I don’t need to name names, but the kind with slides, a lazy river, and other indoor water activities.  After my energy wore away, I sat down and watched my children romp around and eventually I watched other people.  This is what people in the Midwest call people watching.  Now let me make sure we are clear what I mean here.  I don’t mean being the fashion police or passing judgement in any way. I mean observing. Carefully.

Sometimes people will catch my eye because they remind me of someone in a book that is presently percolating in my brain.  Other times, something about how they move makes me think of specific emotions and I contemplate how I would show that emotion or movement with words.  Maybe they have an interesting physical feature that…