Category: Love

He was on the way out,
retiring to lucrative pension
been in the job a long time, been there, done that,
seen it all. And then some.

Was the boss for only three or four weeks
paid holiday? Absolutely not, too professional and vain for that.
I was newly promoted
told me to see him as a set of encyclopaedias
any problems, feel free to consult –
“we all make mistakes when new … often they can be avoided.”
Thanks: I should be right.

Managing people : part shepherd, mostly sheepdog
guiding, growling, occasionally barking.
Black sheep: nothing worked
beginning to lead the flock astray
Workipedia coming to you.

He listened
honesty felt compelled to addendum .. “I really don’t like …”
he asked if I would care to share my reasons
He listened
then said,
“Daniel isn’t a very nice person. He never was. He never will be.”

It doesn’t exist any more
generally and specifically
a drapery – a little everything shop
gloves, hats, scarves, sewing accessories
and stamps, small toys, magazines
owner operated
a woman always – warm and chatty
surviving on cheer, service and lack of staff wages.

The earthquake put the building out of business
the malls, the business.
A winter’s day before the earthquake
and the malls morphed from rival to predator.
Oversight cycled on errands – without gloves.
Turn back? Bravado thought cold not terminal,
besides it wasn’t that far.
Roadworks = detour = never used street
peripheral vision snags on the small red sign – Stamps
yes –
here as good as anywhere.

Small, worn middle-aged palms
give stamps and take money –
“ you should have gloves on a day like this.
Cynicism thinks opportunism
hands reached beneath the counter.
“These were a trade sample … take them, they’re yours.”
Wholesale value? $3-$5. Retail ? $6-$8. Humanity? Priceless

The next morning
after a month’s rain in 24 hours
the sun appeared,
bright, cheerful, disingenuous –
reparation?
Nope,
had nothing to do with yesterday
this is radiation
go down the corridor and talk to precipitation.

I saw the dog first
wondered if it was stray
then she moved
straightened up
from wiping the headstone
banishing debris
replacing flowers.
Mid to late 80’s at a guess

‘‘Dearly beloved.’
biography,
condensed,
chronicled in concrete.
Till death do us part.
It did –
30 years
she’s still the wife
still cares her husband is well turned out.