Ordinary Life

AT MY SERVICE At my service what will be true  of my service ? 

DADDY He gave me his vocabulary  Verbatim To believe in life’s possibilities  And dare to trust That God is good. Taught me to seek Wisdom 

MOMMA She knows the recipe Has the address Remembers the time of my birth  And she always Always Always Believes that I have worth.

APPLE RED HAPPINESS  (A True Story)  She left their Christmas dinner  To see a man in bed In her pocket was an apple  Crisp and Christmas red “I miss the crunch of apples” the quadriplegic said  So she brought him joy and peeled it  And saw that he was fed   

FAMILY In looking back I hope you’ll find Even those  who failed you miserably  Were doing the best t hey could At that time

HOUSEKEEPING With mop or broom  Cleaning our room  Bent by the work of workdays I see  (and very much appreciate)  You

PAIN For high contrast And hidden springs of strength  Unearthed For showing me what real love is  And isn't  Pain,  you’re of great worth 

RIDE SHARE RESCUE I am watching for the silver Jetta one minute, eight seconds away... ~ Kicking snow from my boots, to the driver “Downtown, please - Hilton Garden Inn"  ~ At least for tonight, I am rescued from rage and his next DUI ~

TEACHERS I followed my teacher And last night’s assignment  Into the quiet hall Braced for shame I found i nstead My dignity in tact  She didn't laugh Her voice was kind She let me try again   

COLLECTIBLES There was a week Last year in May When inclement weather f ell  On gov'ment holiday Trash bins in town  Uncollected f or days    ... and days         ... and days And days.  We will never  Take our collectors  for granted  Again. 

MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE For twenty some odd years now Since they were very young  My children s pot the uniforms Extend their hand  and say: “ Thank you for serving our country ”

  CUSTOMER SERVICES My parents remember full service gas  Fuel pumped by an attendant I grew up  in a cashier land o'plenty  What if  Eventually  We do for ourselves  Every job taken for granted?

SERVICE INDUSTRY The service field is sown with seeds of industry. Serve us industry  In the Service  Infantry  Of the Service Industry  To serve is to see  Serve is Ministry

NEW TIRES Tire repair: Needed Car warranty:  Exceeded Good coffee: Well-Heated In the Lobby I’m seated You fix and finance everything I return home  Less defeated

TOW TRUCK TAG ALONG This week, two flat tires Both  passenger side I am going nowhere, fast  This. Week.  Hours in wait at   Circle K   Before my help arrives I do not ... ... will not      ... cannot  complain  Even if  I had my own  tow truck I wouldn’t  know how to use it. From the cab I wave goodbye  to new  filling station friends and promptly ask  to hear  my driver's entire life story. 

ROADSIDE The young man is polite No older than my son He is fixing the first of two flats in my week No umbrella No complaint He will not accept a tip

MidNight McSERVICE (No Sugar) The closing crew, hours ahead of schedule  Have started cleaning up Too soon We stragglers still need coffee  And fries We know not to ask for ice cream “Medium Americano, please” “And a large unsweet tea” “extra ice if you don’t mind...no sugar” I re-emphasize This far South, ‘Sweet’ is all that translates and syrup is always pre-supposed The first sip of tea is crisp and cold, my coffee delivered hot, without excuses. I am deeply grateful Behind me, a bag gulps to life in the hands of a young man taking out the trash  Everyone here just wants to go home I cram the receipt and straw paper into my pocket instead of the yawning can Stepping into the night, convinced this small act will translate: “Thank you, have a good night Godspeed you home”

CIRCLE K ‘Twenty on pump five...’ ‘...and all this...’  I say Spreading a buffet of caffeinated ambition and bad nutrition In array :: grinning embarrassment :: “ ...and I’d just like to thank you for both my breakfast and lunch today.” Her genuine smile covers my shame ‘This will get you through’ she says ‘that’s all anybody is ever tryin’ to do.  Have a good day, now’ I went out and did just that  Understanding somehow,  Her day would be good now, too.

SIRI-ously “What time is it ?” I ask again Without judgement  From the bed Where I flung you in haste You state I am currently (only)  Eight minutes late. (Again)

BARISTA I’ll take mine black  Strong as He-Man  And talking back Bulleted with bold espresso  Misspell my name on your largest to-go