POITIERS AND BEYOND.

We were allowed out

of the coach

to stretch our legs

and have a quick look

around Poitiers

in France

Miriam stretched

her arms out

and kicked out

her legs

almost got cramp

she said

I could have massaged

them for you

I said

I’m an expert

at massaging

away cramps

sure you are

she said smiling

but not

on the coach

it's too impersonal

we walked around

Place de Gaulle

looking in shop windows

and cafés and restaurants

how about some coffee?

I asked

if you're paying

she said

anything for a lady

I said

and what did you want

in exchange?

she said

putting her hands

on her hips

who said anything

in exchange

I just want to buy

you a coffee

she smiled

OK if you say so

she said

so we sat outside

a small café

and ordered

two coffees and cake

and the waiter went off

I lit up a cigarette

what's the book

you're reading

on the coach?

she asked

it's called The Apostle

I said

what's it about?

St Paul

isn't he the guy

who fell from his horse

or donkey

when a voice

called to him

at Damascus?

yes something like that

I said

why are you

reading about him?

he interests me

I said

why?

well he went

from being a persecutor

of what we call

Christians now

to actually joining them

and becoming one

of their leaders

enough already

she said

I heard he

was against ***

and all that

I guess

he was not keen

on the idea

and you want to read

about him?

*** is a brilliant thing

without it

no one would

be here

not even that Paul guy

she said

the waiter brought

our coffees and cake

and went off

beside

she said

you weren't practising

what this Paul guy

was preaching

on the coach last night

never said I was

practising anything

but it was dim

on the coach

and most others

were asleep

she ate her cake

and I recalled

the coach radio

playing some Mozart piece

the night before

while she and I

tried to explore.

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