Peggy S. Park

There's a park a few blocks from our home that I didn't notice for almost a year. I drive by it frequently, bike by it, walk by it, but it's so small I never saw it. I don't remember what finally caught my eye, but Eric and I walked there with Morgan a few weeks ago to check it out. It is seriously tiny, tucked between a long string of residential houses and centered around a beautiful oak tree. It's named after a woman called Peggy, which happens to be my grandmother's name. I have devised several possible storylines for the origins of this little park.

1) Peggy was a Houston conservationist on the board of the Hermann Park Conservancy at one time. She dedicated her community service to the preservation of green space in the city, and, in a gesture of good will, donated part of her land as a park.

2) Peggy and her husband fell in love under the oak tree. She was a free spirit who proved him wrong when he teased that she could not climb to the top. Back on the ground, he confessed his true feelings for her, and kissed her softly. Six months later he was drafted for service in the War, and their reverend conducted a small marriage ceremony under the tree. On the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, he bought the land and established a park.

3) Peggy lived in the house adjacent to the small plot for most of her life. She never had children of her own, but housed several foster children and homeless mothers. She also held a weekly story hour on a blanket in the grass, where neighborhood children gathered in Saturday morning. When she died of illness, the neighbors took up a collection to honor her by the dedication of the park.

I'm continually formulating these stories, because I love the mystery. I could google her name, but I don't want to ruin it.