Tag: Evan L. Klein

They walked along the sidewalk in the small town they grew up in. Owen was still young and Lenny was younger. Owen told him stories about the times he had been to France and his intentions of moving to Spain in the Spring. Lenny, who was only ten, had never heard of such things. He was new to the whole world being as small as he’d been. Owen told Lenny that on his twenty­-third birthday he left for Europe and dropped out of school. He had, as he said himself, both wanted and needed to leave, no matter where he was going. The simple idea of always moving away kept him from sitting around.

“I’ve never been on a plane before,” Lenny said to him.

“That’s alright. I remember my first time.”

They got to a small bakery on the main street of town. It was the only place you could get fresh croissants and muffins which Lenny always loved.

“This feels like we’re in France, doesn’t it?” Lenny asked as they sat by the window.

“Not really.”

“Oh,” he said, embarrassed that he had said anything about it.

“France feels newer but older at the same time. It’s sort of the best place to go. But I’ve been there already.”

“We should go there together,” Lenny said, “you and me.”

Owen thought about it for a moment. “I could take you before I move to Spain. Unless you want to go to Spain instead?”

“Spain is dirty, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Spain is beautiful, even more than France.”