Colourful Chaos!

. The pile was stacked neatly. A kaleidoscope of colours above the plain green grass. I love the sight of leaves on the ground. They become a carpet of colour, bringing the brown dirty ground to life and giving us a show of colour.

As I wistfully look at the pile a streak rushes past me and suddenly the pile explodes! A small figure looks triumphant as the leaves fly and float to the ground. A belly laugh punctuates the fall air.

"James" I exclaim. "You shouldn't do that!"

My son is still laughing and manages to get "Why not?" as he grasps his sides.

"Because someone just spent a lot of time to clean them up into that pile.

James admires his handiwork and continues to giggle. I see another pile on the horizon. I pray that James has learned from my admonishment not to do it again.

Soon he sees the pile and takes off...explosion of colours! Leaves sent in a variety of directions. This explosion is greater than the first one.

The leaves float down to the ground in chaos and my little son laughs at his handiwork. He turns to look at me with laughter and defiance on his face. He exclaims "Sorry Dad".

It doesn't sound like a heartfelt apology. I am speechless and look around to see if anyone has seen the explosions that my son has caused.

Just then I hear the door of the leaf stacker open. An elderly man comes out and stands on his stoop. He crosses his arms with a stern face.

I brace myself for the admonishment that is about to come.

"You missed a stack." the man says to my utter amazement.

James looks astonished too. He scans the front yard and sure enough a smaller stack is just ahead on the lawn. James looks to me, then the man and then to the stack.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get those leaves flying!" the man has come to life with a grin and a joy in his voice.

James doesn't require more encouragement and sets about another explosion.

"I'm sorry for the mess" I meekly say to the man.

"Lets let kids be kids." The man heads towards his garage.

James continues to laugh at the new chaos he has created on the lawn.

The man emerges from his garage with a leaf blower in hand. He has a glint in his eye and seems to have de-aged in front of me.

"Now time for me to play with my toy!" The whirling of the blower signifies that the man is about to have his fun.

It hits me that a kid and a kid at heart have bonded over the colourful chaotic explosions on this fall day. I scan around looking for a pile to explode, after all why should they have all the fun?!