Poetry eZine ~ April 2012

Saturday, April 14

Sheri Grutz: Afternoon Interval

I remember that you told me on a crummy day
that the brakes need fixing. There was an
un-sound then, a pause over the dashboard
trying to feel something give out. Only
my breath went kaput. The song that was
playing on the radio was Fleetwood Mac,
"Rihanna," and I waited until it was
over to let you have it. Why do you never
protect me? Why do you always wait until
something bad happens to do anything?
You pulled out your cigarettes, but we had
long since stopped smoking in the car so
this would be a capital offense. Silence.
Slowly now, yes, slowly, the car pulls into the
driveway, then the garage, squeeeaaak!
Jesus, Dave. I’ll call Mike. We need to
have them look at the tires too.
Well,
say something! Sitting in the cold,
unrunning car, staring at the coat rack
I painted yellow with veggies on it.
"Its hard enough living in this stupid town,
calling up the local mechanics you’ve known
all your life, if you’re so chummy with them,
why don’t you call them?" OK, I will. Its
just you always say I have to be in control
all the time, which way do you want it?
"I want it both ways. I want this relationship
to go both ways." The windows fogging up.
The dog scratching on the door. The full
evening ahead. OK, I thought, there is no hurry.

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