crack rock

[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