He makes her coffee, the way she likes,
While the other sleeps,
To apologize for being so forgetful,
And then forgets to add the cream.
He decides (to apologize for that)
To completely dust the furniture, but
Rearranges it instead, halfway,
And runs to get her pizza, envisioning their lunch and smiles.
Driving home, elated, with the tang
Of oregano and roast tomatoes cooling in the car,
He stops to get her flowers,
And sees a sale on milk and eggs. The Other loves a sale on eggs!
Outside, of course, he’s met by Peg,
A homeless guy who prefers his mother’s name.
Peg's graying hair and beard he recognizes,
And chats awhile, then fills Peg's parchment hand with bills & change.
He suddenly recalls, “My God!
The milk! The eggs! The pizza! ” So,
He races home, and takes the shortest route,
And passes Pete’s, who’d asked him if he’d like to stop a while and pray,
And have a beer or two or three.
He’s only known him for awhile, but it feels like friends.
Pete starts some eggs to fry, and then they sit and laugh and talk, relaxed.
While Pete is putting out the flames, they laugh about how many times he’s done the same.
Home at last! Apologies in hand:
Cold pizza, soured milk, wilted flowers and rotten eggs,
He helps her to the ambulance (from tripping over furniture) .
The Other adds, “You overdrew the Bank, again! ”
He makes her coffee, the way she likes...
Ross Lakes
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-a-d-d-and-the-other/
