People were queuing in parks, woods, everywhere.
All the houses stood back empty.
The sun was shining, and the air was warm.
The buzzards circled high above. Children flew kites on the meadow, and the skylark flew singing over my head for the first time this year.
Some girls directed their horses through the shallow water into the lake but one of the riders came too far out.
The horse sank in, and so did the rider. The horse was gasping for air and the girls squealed.
First in fright and later in laughter, as everything went well.
And then I ask you again: Do ducks smile?