The Bench Facing Away

The bench faces a brick wall. Anika stands behind it with the garden plan in her hand. Beyond the other side of the path are flowers, a young tree and a patch of afternoon sun. “They’ve put it back to front,” she tells Leon. He sets down the box of gardening gloves. They are helping with the pocket garden beside the bus stop. The new bench has not been fixed in place yet.

Mrs Hart, who looks after the garden, says they can try different positions before the installer arrives on Friday. First they must keep the paved route clear and leave room beside the seat. Anika sketches a spot facing the flowers. With two other volunteers, they shift the heavy bench as Mrs Hart directs. Leon sits down. “Much better,” he says. Then a bus pulls in and blocks the flowers completely.

Anika waits until it leaves. The view returns, but now the sun shines straight into her eyes. She holds up the plan for shade. “Only for a bit,” she says. Mrs Hart suggests watching the garden at different times before deciding. They put the bench back in its safe temporary position and make a simple sheet where people can leave comments. Leon writes the first question: What makes a good place to sit?

At lunchtime, a woman waiting for the bus tries the seat. She wants to see the stop without turning round. A man carrying shopping bags likes the space beside it. Two friends say they would rather face each other than the road. Anika writes everything down. The suggestions do not point in one direction. She had expected most people to choose the flowers, just as she had.

An older man sits facing the wall for nearly twenty minutes. Anika asks what he likes about that spot. He points above the bricks. Sparrows are bathing in a shallow stone dish on the wall’s broad top. “They scatter if everyone faces them,” he says. “I sit here sideways and they forget about me.” Anika waits beside him. One small bird shakes itself so hard that water sprays onto the pavement.

The next afternoon is windy. Leon stands where Anika first wanted the bench, gripping his loose comment sheets. The brick wall shelters the temporary seat from the worst gusts. He joins her there and smooths the papers on his knees. “The wall’s doing more than I thought.” They check the comments again. Nobody has found a perfect spot, but shade, shelter, space and a view of the stop keep coming up.

They mark two possible positions on Mrs Hart’s plan. One faces the flowers but catches the afternoon sun. The other sits at an angle near the wall, with space beside it and a clear view towards the stop. Mrs Hart checks the access route with the installer. Then the volunteers try the angled position for a day. Anika asks the regular visitors to sit down and tell her what they notice.

Most find it comfortable. The two friends turn a little towards each other, and the man with shopping bags has room to set them down. From one end, the sparrows are easy to watch. Anika adds a note asking for another seat nearer the flowers in future, if there is enough money. Mrs Hart keeps it with the plan. On Friday, the installer secures the bench in the agreed place.

Anika and Leon are packing away when the older man arrives. He lowers himself onto the bench and looks towards the stone dish. “You’ve moved it,” he says. Anika waits. A sparrow lands, dips its head and sends a bright drop over the wall. The man smiles. “Still works.” Leon sits at the other end. Anika folds the first plan, with its perfect view of the flowers, and sits down between them.