A child in London asked her father what autumn was, having heard it spoken of these days, and the father in explanation said it was a season, though not a major one. In cities, this father said, you did not feel autumn so much, not as you felt the heat of summer or the bite of winter air, or even the slush of spring. He said that, and then the next day sent for the child and said he had been talking nonsense. 'Autumn is on now, ' he said. 'You can see it in the parks, ' and he took his child for a nature walk. William Trevor
About This Quote

The father was explaining that autumn is a season. He was not explaining the mechanics of the seasons, but rather the feeling of it. The girl was disappointed because she wanted to know what autumn is. She heard it mentioned by her father and she wanted to know about it.

What she got from him was that autumn is a season, but not a major one. She heard that autumn is a season, but that she could not understand it as well as other seasons because he did not go over all of the seasons with her. She asked him what it feels like, and he said that you can see it in the parks because there are leaves on the trees.

The girl was not satisfied with this answer because she wanted to be able to feel what it feels like, so he took her into the garden.

Source: The Love Department

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