Alice hesitated, giving the woman a quick once over. Their sense of self-preservation wasn’t great, however. Any regular person would have apologised and left but Alice had to stick around and ask questions. “Why would it be hypocritical?” they asked carefully, entirely unaware of Chelsea’s profession. “I don’t think I’m always this curious, that would be exhausting, but–” Could they really argue against the claim? Reasonably, no. “I suppose most of the time I am. My sister says I ask too many questions, but never the right kind.”
Alice nodded, but felt silly for the admission. They turned their gaze away from the fence and down to their feet. “Strange, yes… I… Can’t really describe what I think it was, now that I can only see the tire swing. It could have been a very stout black bear. Or a python curling around a ball…” Their head shot back up again at the suggestion to go into the garden. Alice’s better judgement said that was a bad idea, but Alice seldom followed their own advice. “I can?” they asked, already making their way toward the gate. “Oh, but one really shouldn’t go into the gardens of strangers, should they?”
“because i myself am a curious cat.” she grinned and opened the back gate to her property and entered. “then you must be terribly tired from all that curiosity.” she smiled, looking over her shoulder at them “there’s never wrong kinds of questions just the wrong people you’re asking them to.”
she eyed the tire swing and could see where they could have made the observation. “it could be all of those. whose to say that it wasn’t and just changed back when you had caught them?” chelsea nodded at them “sure thing, feel free to. a tire swing that good should be shared. well i’m chelsea. chelsea katz; a full tire swing owner, a crispy m&m enthusiast and journalist.” she smiled and held out her had for a handshake.