i remember it
vividly
we saw her
at the bus stop
we knew her
it was fairly obvious
she was doing it tough
her husband had run off
to give new meaning to his life
with a woman 20 years younger
and left her with nothing
we should help her
give her a job
the corners of his mouth
curled with contempt
aghast
his outrage at this suggestion
was punctuated by an incredulous sneer
the same one he affected when
the accountant dozing off next to him at a concert
broke thunderous wind like a trombone solo
in the slow movt of the schubert symphony
at the opera house
how would you feel if
she were your mother or daughter
we should help her
give her a job at least
my mother and daughter
would never be stupid enough
to find themselves
in that situation
he said
with the demeanour
of the smug entitled prick
that he was
the final nail
driven firmly into
the coffin
of our relationship
This world is teeming with judgmental beings. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, that was a good one to get out of!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that final nail was easy to hammer. Good for her!
ReplyDeleteYes, that would do it, for certain. One day, hopefully, he might discover how easy it is, from one day to the next, to find oneself in an utterly unexpected and devastating situation. Your poem is a wonderful character study. I could actually SEE his facial expression.
ReplyDeleteKarma.What comes around goes around....
Delete"thunderous wind like a trombone solo" a powerful fun image! And the sneer it engenders seems inappropriate to this woman in need. I applaud the nail in the coffin. A fine narrative of shoes to walk in.
ReplyDeleteNice write Rall
ReplyDeleteMuch love...
This is really good. From the depths of the heart...the mouth speaketh - revealing the true character. How small-minded!
ReplyDeleteHow careful we must be in our friendships to notice such a feature of others character and heart (or lack of). I love the way you presented this story/poem for us.
ReplyDeleteSome people really are insufferable. The guy in this poem is one of them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a prick. I'm glad she got out of the relationship.
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
a closed mind often beggars a closed heart - but one can never know when the tables will turn - there is no certainty in life ... I really liked the line - "doing it tough" .... that spoke absolute volumes.
ReplyDeleteI have been on both sides...personally, I would rather be in shabby shoes than in the high heels of a smug entitled prick. The harder they come, the harder they fall.
ReplyDeleteUgh! Good riddance to that creep! There is a Greek idiom uttered when one sends someone packing rather unceremoniously: "She gave him his shoes in his hands". Quite apt here I think ;-)
ReplyDelete