Remember when we’d slowly grow up sitting on those steps? Your mother used to come out with cold lemonade on those hot days And you’d pass me a slice of watermelon. I’d smile that stupid grin of mine Complete with missing front teeth. God those days were so hot. Sometimes as if answering a child’s whimper The Rain would just start pouring And I’d be too proud to dance like an idiot. But not you. You’d splash with the gusto and laughter Of nostalgia in the smile of a photograph. You would call me over to join you in the puddles But I’d shake my head. I don’t want to get wet I’d scoff And my cheeks would turn strawberry. Your look of disappointment would turn to a playful smirk And I would swallow my embarrassment. You never meant me any harm. My face glowed crimson and embarrassment turned to shame.
The air started to get cool And the leaves on the trees became lazy. We’d collect them. They were nothing short of arboreal rubies. The yellow oaks always caught your eye. They were my favourite too. My dad yells down the street In a voice gruff like his bristly chin. He was outwardly rough But in truth he was a very sweet man. Though you wouldn’t know it from my bruises. I always thought he did it because he missed mom. She was put in a box in the dirt a week after I was born So I never knew how her voice sounded when she sang in her studio Painting the yellow leaves we preciously held.
Halloween would come and we would run with the others from the neighbourhood. Our faces painted like eggshells. And we’d dance those secret incantations that only we knew Passed down from generation to generation from our brothers and sisters. As we’d go door to door on our quest for sugar We would always fall behind from the rest. You would grab my hand with a hearty -Come on! When we finally found our fellow ne’er-do-wells You smiled at me though you were out of breath. Even though it was dark out I could still tell your eyes were brown.
Our first dance was in high school. And just like you You jumped the gun And asked me if I would take you. When I opened my mouth I swear I vomited butterflies. I was so nervous the entire day preparing. The process of looking presentable became unbearable. I pulled up to your house only five houses from my own (It was unthinkable to make you walk to my car) When your mother came out Which couldn’t be a good sign.