Category: Love

Grandma and Grandpop of never spoke about the Depression –
the Great Depression of textbooks,
they called it “ the Slump.”
What was it like?
I was then 19 –
had studied economics,
was curious to learn fiction and fact … from the matter of fact.

Best not to know,
Lord have mercy it never happens again –
but on second thoughts,
19 is beyond childhood, old enough to vote, or go to war.

Grandma said a man came to the house
selling, but no salesman
a silver tea set : family heirloom.
It was beautiful – the price almost nothing,
but still too much.
The man turned away … and then back
afternoon was leaving, soon it would be night
the price was now whatever my grandfather had in his pocket
– a few shillings
he handed them to the man, and shook his head.

When she asked, I hesitated, thinking the answer would be mistaken for
flippancy,
for denigration,
for shallowness –
temptation almost delivered anodyne, then paused
slow …
being thought about.
“Nnnooo…. nothing I can think of.”

The face opposite is attentive, tongue unfamiliarly still.
For the past seven days
procedures and protocols explained had been dismissed with –
“THAT WILL CHANGE.”
Now the last afternoon
the last will and testament – did the departing one have any advice?
Eyes invite confidence
silence gathers and yields
exhaling a single sentence : absurd and true.

“ If I had talked more and worked less .. I’d have been more successful.”
The strangest bequest,
living about to be ghost –
dead men tell no tales, or lies.
Confession unexpected and brutal,
space ….. which words cannot enter, sternness is abandoned
a hand is placed on the defeated knee, lingering
the tone is soft,
loving
“it hasn’t been easy here for you has it.” Statement not question

It was my first time in his office,
I was the contractor’s representative
he, the client –
a big client
a million-dollar tender when $100,000 gave change, on a good house.

Sometimes it’s 50/50
but this was 55/45 – at best
probably 60/40
more than marginal, not quite blatant.

Newly promoted
freshly installed
staff confidence is fence sitting –
not yet of an opinion to stay,
or migrate.
I said, I knew I was asking a lot
but I really had to win this one.

Throughout he had not interjected
asked for clarification
or shown emotion.
Now, he removed his glasses,
looked directly at me and said, “yes, you do.”