[Interlude]
It comes into my awareness
The whistle of the wind across my windshield as I approach '72
The 63rd street exit comes into view
This stretch of highway at 6:31 in the morning
Is especially poignant
The cold of the morning
The twinkling lonely lights reflected in the calm lake
Only a quick passing glance, a sigh
The crease across my right cheek from the pillowcase
When I rolled onto my stomach and buried my face
Reluctant to wake, comes to mind
I'm nearly at work and it's still there
My puffy eyes liе
You would think I cried all night
Maybe I did, in my dreams rеstlessly
Thank goodness for makeup and masks
And blunt bangs to cover up the furrows between my eyebrows
Last night must have been tough
The glittering rainbow skyline greets me
As I pull up to my new favorite parking spot
Facing northeast, towards the blinking red radio-towers, a reminder
And for a moment, I can barely stomach it
I gather up my belongings and trek to the basement once again
I am wearing the same dress I was wearing at the financial seminar at Francis Tuttle, back in 2015
The same dress he saw me in when I approached as he was obviously not feeling well
Watery eyes, dried Kleenex nose
I was alarmed, he didn't have to be here if he felt so bad
I still don't know if it was an act
If it was, he played it well
Brown Skechers
I remember brown Skechers
And something was said between us
Something only the space between us knows
Something profoundly moving
And the remainder of the day I was shaking, stumbling, blushing
I don't nest my individual portion of plastic Cramer containers any more