Saturday, May 05, 2007

THE MAN ACROSS THE STREET


The man across the street has gotta be bumping 60. I only assume that because his mother, my neighbor, just turned 80 not too long ago.

He lives with her.

I wonder...is he happy?

He works on a pick-up truck that is often on blocks.

I wonder...does he know how to fix it?

He is a smoker. He is kicked outside when he does that. He stays out to get over his coughing fit.

I wonder...does he know he is dying?

His mother has told me that he is divorced and has children.

I wonder...do his children know him?

I have never heard his voice, though I have lived across the street for almost 4 years. I never hear his voice, but I hear his music.

I wonder...does he know who I am?

He sits on the porch and plays a guitar. He is pretty good, strumming out the blues.

I wonder...is he blue within himself?

His mother seems healthy. I've never witnessed her "nasty little habits" that can kill a person.

I wonder...will she bury her son?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LL...you are a deep thinker. This made me feel kind of sad. There are all sorts of people who make us stop and wonder and feel things, even though we don't know them.

I have a story to share myself but won't be able to write it out until later tonight or tomorrow.