white patch

 The son has put on his coat, and his shoes, and now he can go on a morning walk with his father. He is wearing a mask that he can pull up over his nose and mouth, not one of those that has bands running around the ears. There is hoar frost today, and it becomes more noticeable as the path climbs the hill to the top of the park, there where the animal enclosures are.

There is a sign up identifying the flightless birds as south american nandus. Google says that that is the same thing as a rhea. They are in there enclosure, one is being chased by a peacock.

Walk around the complex of enclosure, there are families everywhere here,  much like any other Sunday. Many of the children are wrapped up against the cold, even though it is not as cold as some of the clothing would imply. 

The moisture from his breath has frozen on the son's mask, a white patch has formed. 

Go down by the aviarys, in one there is a very large owl, an uhu, perched there looking at the passer- bys through one eye, and rotating it's head owl -fashion. A young girl watching tries to do the same thing, but has no success.

Walk down the hill again. There is no way to tell the son that his father is depressed, it is not a thing to be done.