Drop my children off at another parent’s house
To free up time to drive aimlessly, listening to
FM radio, waiting for a song that I feel deeply
Connected to, stopping in small towns to pump
Gasoline, eager to make acquaintances with the
Cashier, a woman who tells me my credit card
Has been declined; always so embarrassing. In
Fall Creek I present a notice of delivery to the
Postmaster, who has me sign my name on a
Computer screen; turns out to just be a bill. Who
Does that? Sends a bill, certified? Snowing
Outside so I drive some more: a country church
Where the cemetery looks like a postcard from
Somewhere very beautiful. Two days ago, Auburn
Beat Alabama in something called The Iron Bowl
Which sounds more like an Age, or an Epoch of
Time, and I listen to a recording of the Auburn announcers
Scream about Jesus and the Lord Above and
Grown men shrieking like little girls and then I
Drive past my favorite supper club, where two
Men are installing a big picture window
Despite the heavy snow, and I think, Sweet Jesus
Don’t drop that window, don’t drop that window.
And they don’t, which leaves only a trip to
Wal-Mart for bird-seed, colored Christmas lights,
And a gift for a kid named Jesus, who I don’t even
Know, but who is apparently very poor, or rather,
Whose parents are very poor. And my church
Has volunteered to supply him with Christmas gifts.
And of all the names that I could have chosen last
Sunday at church, I choose Jesus’, because I was at
Church, and already thinking of Jesus, though, we
Pronounce his name differently, a totally different man,
Et cetera, and because I like Mexican people, and
Because Jesus only wanted Legos, and my son,
Henry, also loves Legos, so I went hog-wild on
Little Jesus’ behalf, and spent fifty bucks on a
Star Wars themed Legos set, an X-wing fighter.
And when I arrive home, I eat Thanksgiving leftovers,
Again, and think about gravy and cranberries, and
How I’ve eaten gravy for five days straight.
Gravy on potatoes, gravy on stuffing, gravy on turkey,
Gravy on my toast, gravy on my cranberries, on my
Cheese, on my Miracle-Whip, on my green-bean casserole.
Gravy on everything. Gravy. Gravy. Gravy.
