This was a park.
An utterly ordinary community park, nothing more than a sparse patch of woods, several concrete paths, and a small river flowing quietly nearby. Some people had tried fishing by the river, but they rarely caught anything.
Most of the time, people treated it as a place to exercise, play catch with their children, or throw frisbees for their pet dogs. Aside from the troublesome mud created when fallen autumn leaves mixed with rainwater, it was quite a nice place.
The streetlights were of the plainest kind, resembling medieval gas lamps, and the bench beside one of them was the man's favorite spot. On his way home from work, he liked to come here and sit for a while, looking at the river and the sunset.
When he had some money to spare, he would buy a cup of coffee or ice cream from a nearby stand. If his appetite was good that day, perhaps he would add a chocolate donut.
Don't misunderstand. He was actually very close to his wife and daughter, and they knew that he often came here to sit quietly.
He did not come here to escape some so-called midlife crisis. It was simply that every man needed time and space of his own. He merely used the time other people spent looking at beautiful women to relax in the park and quietly contemplate his life.
As a celebrity, everyone around him knew him, so even while sitting on a park bench, he did not get much peace and quiet. Many people smiled and greeted him as they passed by.
"Good afternoon, sir."
"Hello, sir. We meet again. You're always so punctual."
"The weather is wonderful today, sir."
He responded to all such greetings with a smile, because they made him feel connected