he's closing in on 18.
i met him a year ago.
he talked to me for 10
minutes about his cancerous grandma,
she had misplaced her right leg
from the knee cap, down.

running into him again
was not planned.

"yeah i'm the junior baptist minister
now."

"cool."

"i had a rough year."

"why do you say that, man?"

this conversation lasted twelve minutes, twenty-six seconds.
he had fallen in love.
a real religious lady.
they went to church.
ate after church dinner.
8 months of together.
then out the blue,
they had a heavy silent car ride.

she didn't let him in the front door,
when he got her home.
she said,
"jeremiah, i'm pregnant."

it wasn't his.