Drapes

today

I don’t know why

but today

I thought of you

and wondered why today

one day

the house was empty

the next day

it was not

drapes in every window

we must have been fifteen

you moved

into a house

on Osage

I was your paperboy

the Journal & Courier

sent a note

to start delivery

your mother

always came to the door

gave me

two quarters

forty cents for the week

a dime for a tip

and shut the door

one day

you came to the door

opened it

just a crack

invited me in

the room was dim

dust covers on furniture

you stood quiet

asked my name

and offered a coke

a younger girl

stood down the hall

watched

and did not speak

was she your sister

I asked what school

you went to

you said

you didn’t go to school

but used to

we did not talk

only stared

I thought you

were pretty and

left without your name

one day

the house was full

the next day

it was not

no drapes in windows

fifty three years

I don’t know why

but today I woke

worried about you

and wondered why today

9-5-20