Sticks

Aidan walks back through the botanic gardens. He brandishes a stick.

I notice older men looking keenly at him, smiling with an unusual but benevolent intensity.

I think it's something to do with the stick. Memories of boyhood and sticks past. Stick fights, sticks in holes, sticks dipped in water, sticks as fishing rods, guns, swords, sticks poking sisters.