What did you see today?

I didn’t know what it was, but in hindsight, it looked like loneliness. I was finally in my dream destination—how fascinated I was with Stockholm, I promised myself I was going to drop by—but something didn’t feel right.

The charmingly mustard cobbled streets snaked into the old town square, so cute, people contentedly sat in benches and, basking in the sun, did absolutely nothing. Near the riverbanks, the sun shone softly, the blue sky broken only by fluffy white clouds, which hung so low, they kissed the spiraling spires.

And yet there I was, not quite having the time of my life. I was going to go to the open-air museum today but I lost my footing in the subway. I couldn’t find my tram stop, nobody could give me directions, I was so confused, I decided to scrap the entire plan altogether and just head back up to the street level and ad lib that Wednesday.

I was walking by the riverbanks in Skelpsholmen, trying, unsuccessfully, to enjoy this newfound freedom (I didn’t know what to do with myself), I espy an old couple. The man, roughly around 80 (he is 90, he tells me later on), was buttoning his lady’s coat. His hands were shaky, he had a hard time getting the button through the button hole. I kept looking. His wife, I assumed, was only sitting there, looking faraway, unaware that her husband was buttoning her up.

They didn’t talk the whole time this was happening but I was enthralled. He fixed her bandana next. Then he straightened her collar. The rest of Stockholm fell into frame. I took a photo.

I felt like I had to lose my way, cancel my plans, and not know what to do with my Wednesday so that I could dillydally by the edge of the water and witness such a quiet and tender moment.

When they stood up—he helped her up—I approached them and belatedly asked for a photo. The man proudly answered: “We are both 90 years old.” The woman, who looked clueless as to where she was and who she is, could only flash me a smile. I flashed them a double thumbs up. The mad politely nodded, and when it became evident put her left hand through his bended right, and then led her, ever so slowly, away.

It was just a little before lunch, and I had the rest of my Wednesday free to spend however I liked in Stockholm.