Beans
Im cold I never
get cold
dont believe in
pajamas
dont eat fruit
either
who says that? I
dont eat fruit
like theyre proud
of it!
So I went into
Todds foyer
to put away the bag of
beans
I was carrying
around
and of course the old
woman
in the next apartment
came down
at that exact
moment
with her two
young daughters and I
said
excuse me and while
Todd
waited outside I
hid
the bag of beans
beneath the stairs.
Thick fog tonight
returning home
from Hudson
their new home is
perfect, roomy
clean, bright, white
and shiny
but it was like
they
were starting all over
again
like newlyweds and
hes over 70!
Not a bad thing
really
just felt weird,
depressing and odd
I feel funny saying
it
because it is nice
having a big
new house Im not
denying them that
it just seems it should
be more
a young persons
domain
and what was all
that
with me hiding the bag
of beans
and being
cold
I never get
cold.
Fire
Im new in the
shop
where they
manufacture
metal parts and
fixtures
end of the day time to
go
I make sure the back
door is locked
check some
windows
flip switches to turn
out the lights
but one switch closes
only halfway
and suddenly fire
bursts out
in the far
corner
of the back basement
the flames leaping
and clawing at the
air
but there is no smoke
just flames.
I quickly close the
switch all the way
but the fire rages
on
but only in that one
corner
no wood burning or
people getting hurt
I pull the
alarm
co-workers appear
immediately
seemingly popping out
of the walls
concerned, more
annoyed, not panicked
frowning in my
direction
the new guy fucking-up
as usual
everyone staring at the
fire
from the edge of the
basement
until a woman officer
shows up
tall, short hair,
sharply dressed
removes something from
a cabinet
descends the
stairs
to go put out the
fire
and shes frowning
at me too
Purple
Im over at
Pattis house visiting her
were not married
yet
its crowded and
crazy there
lots of people
especially children everywhere
I cant even spend
time with her or talk to her
so as the sun begins to
set I decide to leave
to sneak away on my
bicycle so her mom wont see
and get insulted or
annoyed or something
I think shes in
the kitchen
so I dont leave
through the back yard
but instead in the
front
down the driveway into
the street
but there are flowers
everywhere I didnt
notice them before
everywhere is thick with flowers
red blue yellow the
lawn the driveway
even the street I can
barely ride my bike
through them
theyre so tall and thick
I make it to the
street
but there she is
Pats mom on the sidewalk
pruning some purple
flowers on a fence
I try to turn back but
too late
she sees me waves I
wave back and smile
park my bike go back
inside
theres no one
there not even Pat
its all so quiet
now and Im all alone waiting
but Im unsure for
what
look out the window
its still dusk
but all the flowers are
gone and so is Pattis mom.
Turtles
On the beach with Pat,
sun shining bright
shes close-by in
a blue beach chair (she hates blue)
theres a
lifeguard close-by too (in a yellow chair)
the waves are small,
calm
when suddenly I see
fins or something
sticking up out of the
water
maybe 20 or so and they
are moving slowly
into shore
I turn to the
lifeguard, what are those?
he shrugs, Pat is
reading a book
looking so cute in her
floppy hat and sunglasses
I sneak closer to the
water
turns out the fins are
turtles! turtle legs actually
they are all floating
calmly into shore
and theyre on
their backs! big turtles
snappers and sliders,
not normal sea turtles
with their feet
sticking up
out of the
water
Im amazed that
they are on their backs
lifeguard says their
rough carapaces
deal better with the
sandy, rocky bottom
theyre fine,
healthy, happy
I squat down in the
surf touch one of them
such beautiful gentle
creatures
Pat looks at me and
smiles.
Escape
In the dark we
slink
down the
hallway
pass Freedman in his
bed
he wakens grabs his
flashlight
What is
this?
Who are you?
we dash for
it
Come back here you
damnit!
at the far
end
I exit through the back
door
trying to be
quiet
circle around
back
enter the house again
through
the screened-in porch
into
a small room
try
to lock the screen
door
but cant and then
Freedman
is there flashing his
light
in my face and
yelling
struggling with the
door
to get in but
finally
I lock the damn
thing
and he cant get
in
becomes
quiet
then hes
gone
time for me to make my
get-away
out through the
garage
find my bike hop
on
ride off into the
night
Coats
for a
conference
in a dorm of some
sort
shes with
roommates on the second floor
Im with roommates
on the third
even though we only
just met
weve planned to
meet
later in the night
after everyone else
is asleep
Im anxious,
pacing, watching
down in the
stairwell
like Im waiting
for her to show up
when a herd of guys, 5
or 6 of them
come in to party in her
room
so I realize our
plan
for the evening has
been dashed
next morning
everyones leaving
Ill never get the
chance
to see her
again
but leave my room, and
the building find her
in a car filled with
coats
a clutter of
coats
I open the door,
shes so sad
I sit in beside
her
take her pretty face by
the chin
you all right? I
missed you last night
she motions with her
eyes
towards the back
seat
and there in the corner
huddled beneath
a pile of coats is
Philip O.
an old work
buddy
staring at me through
his thick glasses
OK well Ill
talk to you later
have a safe trip
home
I say to her
and slide back out of
the car
watch from a window in
the building
as the car drives
off
and I never see her
again