Resale Value

 

 

I’m still feeling guilty

that I didn’t stop the car

at the kid’s lemonade stand over

on Adelaide. Blonde and hopeful,

I could see his aura begging me

to stop and exchange a quarter

for his elixir—powder & water

mixture with two ice cubes

in a Dixie cup.

 

That was hours ago and if

he was still there, I’d go back and

buy a cup with a crisp dollar bill,

tell him to keep the change.

    I’d ask him how was business today

the way you walk by a fisherman on

a bridge and ask him, “Are they biting today?”

 

And maybe I’d block traffic and frantically

flag down motorists like there was an emergency---

my pregnant wife’s in the house and

her water broke and ironically

the water pump on my car is

broke and we need to get to the hospital so

I need your car sir, RIGHT NOW!

 

And then maybe I’d lean in toward the

open window with a Jack Nicholson grin

and say, “I’m just kidding, but if you buy

a lemonade from the kid there I’ll let you

live and when you get home you can

pour yourself a vodka to calm your nerves

and I bet we both sleep good tonight.”

 

-- rLp --

Comments

[karen halbert]

ok, that one made me laugh out loud. thanks for the gift!

i too regret not stopping more often than not.