Christmas 2019

Leaving bed

Wandering onto the street

and nursing the hangover you

get when

you’ve spent too much time

alone

and it’s dark, but day

and we’re supposed to be warm 

and laughing and eating

but I’m freezing 

my bones are cold and

here is a half-assed way to say

that I made a connection with 

someone, if only for a 

moment. 

And while I was driving-

Christmas lunch at 

Jack in the Box

I saw her-

girl in the puffy coat

sitting at the bus stop

in the cold 

with a grimace on her 

face

my first instinct

that poor thing- 

all alone on Christmas. 

And then I looked down

at myself

all alone

on Christmas

But I’m not this tragic figure

I have a family

I have friends

Maybe she was in the same

boat

and somehow- that bus stop bench

was her five-minute

refuge

before she had to trek the

journey

to put on that face

for those she would prefer

not to. 

Maybe she would have enjoyed that sorry

Jack in the Box Christmas lunch

just as much as I did.

I pulled up to the drive-thru

I made my connection

The woman in the window

all smiles

so happy to see me. 

I’m an asshole, I think.