Saturday, November 15, 2008
Roadie Poet: Stranger
Got home just now.
The start of a month off the road.
I need sleep
Clean clothes
Good food.
In that order.
My key fits in the lock.
Everything inside looks the same:
Shelf for mail
The dent in the bannister from when I kicked it with a steel-toed boot.
Don't ask.
In the living room
In front of the TV
In the recliner I bought Mom with my first tour's pay
Isn't Mom.
It's some guy.
In blue plaid flannel pants.
Black socks.
Brown slippers with no backs.
Not a lot of hair.
Glasses.
I look into the kitchen.
There's Mom's cookbooks
Mom's pots
Mom's teapot.
No Mom.
Just this guy.
"Hey," he says to me.
"You must be RP."
"Who're you?" I say to him.
"Does Mom know you're here?"
He laughs.
Stands up.
Shoves his hand at me.
I stare at it.
Mom shows up then.
Dressed in a flimsy robe.
Surprised to see me.
Her second kid.
Like I'm forgettable.
She gives me food.
Takes my laundry.
Sends me to bed.
In that order.
I don't complain.
I needed all three.
Especially sleep.
I'm awake.
Never thought I'd need earplugs at home.
Maybe
I can find
A tour
That'll keep me busy
For a month.
I don't really need
Sleep
Food
Or clothes.
In any order.
Aww, man! Poor RP; his mom's got a boyfriend! There's more to this saga, so stay tuned. In the meantime, why not check out other friends who've done some Sunday Scribblings?
The start of a month off the road.
I need sleep
Clean clothes
Good food.
In that order.
My key fits in the lock.
Everything inside looks the same:
Shelf for mail
The dent in the bannister from when I kicked it with a steel-toed boot.
Don't ask.
In the living room
In front of the TV
In the recliner I bought Mom with my first tour's pay
Isn't Mom.
It's some guy.
In blue plaid flannel pants.
Black socks.
Brown slippers with no backs.
Not a lot of hair.
Glasses.
I look into the kitchen.
There's Mom's cookbooks
Mom's pots
Mom's teapot.
No Mom.
Just this guy.
"Hey," he says to me.
"You must be RP."
"Who're you?" I say to him.
"Does Mom know you're here?"
He laughs.
Stands up.
Shoves his hand at me.
I stare at it.
Mom shows up then.
Dressed in a flimsy robe.
Surprised to see me.
Her second kid.
Like I'm forgettable.
She gives me food.
Takes my laundry.
Sends me to bed.
In that order.
I don't complain.
I needed all three.
Especially sleep.
I'm awake.
Never thought I'd need earplugs at home.
Maybe
I can find
A tour
That'll keep me busy
For a month.
I don't really need
Sleep
Food
Or clothes.
In any order.
Aww, man! Poor RP; his mom's got a boyfriend! There's more to this saga, so stay tuned. In the meantime, why not check out other friends who've done some Sunday Scribblings?
Labels: poem, Roadie Poet, Sunday Scribblings
Comments:
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Roadie poet knows what he wants! Good for him!
distractingly disjointed
distractingly disjointed
# posted by 
: November 15, 2008 10:52 AM
: November 15, 2008 10:52 AM
Sad but true, your prose-poem captures a very realistic situation. Not that there's anything wrong with RP's mom getting a boyfriend, but it's sad that RP loses his postion as "welcome son" for his new position as "guest."
Poor guy. Finding out a stranger has taken up residence in your home and in your life is bad enough, but to have to *hear* them too, well that's excruciating.
I loved it. Especially how Mom gave RP everything he wanted. . . in exactly the order he did not want it:
"She gives me food.
Takes my laundry.
Sends me to bed.
In that order."
"She gives me food.
Takes my laundry.
Sends me to bed.
In that order."
# posted by : November 15, 2008 9:00 PM
: November 15, 2008 9:00 PM
Aw, poor RP, nothing worse than looking forward to something familiar and getting a weird surprise! lol! *hugs to RP* even if it is good for Mom!
I tried hard to find the significance of the "order", and the repeated use of the line "in that order", I am sure I must be missing something really good
Don't you just hate strangers? I don't know which of your characters was the most embarrassed - you handled the writing of this well!
The return of Roadie Poet! I missed you.
I do think it's funny that RP has been used to dropping in and out of his mom's life, not expecting her to do any living while he's gone. I agree with Anthony North!
I do think it's funny that RP has been used to dropping in and out of his mom's life, not expecting her to do any living while he's gone. I agree with Anthony North!
It's been a spooky little thing at the back of my mind all my life....that I'll walk into a familiar room and see a stranger sitting waiting.
# posted by : November 17, 2008 8:51 PM
: November 17, 2008 8:51 PM
Earplugs!! What a hoot! Funny, how kids always need their parents to stay the same.
# posted by : November 17, 2008 9:29 PM
: November 17, 2008 9:29 PM
My favorite Roadie Poet poem, very favorite. Poor thing, but.
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# posted by : November 20, 2008 1:13 PM
: November 20, 2008 1:13 PM << Home
