A Bloody Chin Free of Pain...

The long conduit of cement sidewalk leading to your fence,
your front gate,
your hasp, rusted and warm from the morning sun,
your steps and stoop,
your knob and door.

The front smelled rich with old porch aromas….. cracked concrete emitting dampness from the morning’s encapsulation of dew, azaleas and irises leaning over from a porch-side bed, and coolness seeping from an open window, its white blinds dancing freely and blowing outside the window’s frames in failed efforts to disconnect from their rods.


My tie straightened…
My trousers and jacket sleeves dusted quickly...
An upright stance…
A head filled with unattainable ambitions.

Sheer trepidation attacked my senses and befuddled my normally-sharp-and-usually-pointed decision making abilities. I wrenched my hands together, pulling at the grouped fingers of my right hand with the strength from my left and I tried, really tried, to think the clamminess away before I knocked…
before I asked …
before I waited for a response … a reaction.

I squatted and set the handful daisies down upon the woven mat and remained hunkered as I though of my coming actions. My bowler removed I wiped the perspiration from my forehead and replaced it neatly.

I dropped my hands to my sides and stood.
I turned my gaze towards the avenue, down the steps, to the gate waiting.
I made my flee.

Aiming only at the fence and concealment of the nearby shrubbery outside I failed to note the potted orange flowers on the bottom step. My left foot stepped onto the rim of terracotta pot and posing no foundation for a grown man’s weight casued me to tumble nastily down the 3-step flight.

I rolled over and lifted my hand to my face and mouth and pulled it away quickly to judge the blood now dripping from my lip and chin scuffed from the fall. My elbow ached. My slacks torn at the knee.

The front door shot open.
My daisies were crushed by her foot as she rushed to me and knelt.
The aching in my elbow and chin multiplied but the throbbing in my soul ceased completely.

The late morning sun shone upon us as we sat on the steps for hours replaying the scene in jest over and over and over until our stomachs could take laughter no longer.