Category: Love

Weekday mornings+ full-time work
alarm
fog
coffee
shower and radio news –
weather, traffic asphyxiation and major crisis – none today,
still somehow attention snagged.

The host was ex-drivetime commercial radio
recruited to add colour, edge and testosterone
BBC inheritance renounced with “ mornin’ to ya.”
“Good morning” replied the policeman
“a real mess this one,” sound gnashes the host
“parents out boozing, kids home alone, a fire, and two children dead
are you going to throw the book at them.”
The policeman paused ….
“I don’t think the law can punish them more, they know what they did. ”
Persisted the shock jock, “what’s the take-home message here.”
The policeman paused again,
“if you have kids, love them.”

He had silver hair
and a baritone voice
when I asked
his three workmates looked directly to him.
The day was hot
the cyclist’s enemy, wind spiteful
in my face – all day.
The most fundamental of mistakes
a stopped watch
20 km per hour x elapsed time = distance travelled
distance travelled – journey’s distance = global position.

They were repairing the road –
shingle, bitumen and sweat.
I asked the time
and how far to the next town
he spoke
“are you tired boy” and
compassion, not words
then answered
“quarter past four, 15 to 20 miles.”

Dust gathered and settled
summer insects flurried in the breeze ….
the imprecise balance of intuition and logic
the coordinates of time and distance have restored equilibrium
this he knows,
but he can see heat, and fatigue .

“We’ll be leaving here at five o’clock
for the town whose position I sought : translation
if I ask, their truck will take me –
cyclist and bike
passenger and freight –
space will be found.

We were never introduced –
the owner’s wife and I.
I knew only the stats,
by ear and eye –
Natalie, “Mrs ..” to the workers,
the eldest child hers,
from a young, passing marriage ….
early 40’s trim, pretty.
She came into the orchard some days,
infrequently
briefly
invariably seeking directions to her husband,
polite, always. And distant.

Now she was polite. And close.
She didn’t mention her husband
just she understood I had a job interview
and was new to the district.
Did I need to borrow anything? –
Something I might not have?
“An iron …..
a tie …..
shoe polish….”
I took all three.