On My Last Day Of Work
On my last day of work I gave her a hug,
I worked with her for over thirty years and on my last day I just wanted to hold her in my arms.
When I first met her she was young and I was young.
But now we were well into our middle age and to me she was still as beautiful as when I first met her,
And when I held her in my arms all of the memories came back.
Of those days when I first got to know her.
When I actually thought there might be a future.
When all seemed possible.
On my last day of work we said goodbye and we promised we would be in touch,
But as I drove away I knew this would never occur.
As I walked out of the building I knew a chapter of my life had ended and it was never going to come back.
Sio as I exited the parking lot I said out loud that I would never forget her and I said a prayer.
A prayer for her well being as well as mine.
A prayer that somehow, someway we would find each other and never let go of one another.
I Came To America
I came to America,
Either by choice or by force.
I came to America to share in the American Dream. Or should I say the human dream.
I came to America hoping all of my dreams would come true.
That all of my nightmares would disappear.
I came to see the great landscape of the North American continent.
The beaches of Southern California,
The tall skyscrapers of the big cities.
A place called Disneyland and all that it represents.
I came to America,
For I had nowhere else to go,
All I wanted was a place to pursue my silly dreams.
All I wanted was a place to call home.
But they never told me how it would be so hard,
Never told me how there would be those who would wish me harm.
But still I long for the country that I have always envisioned.
Had always hoped was out there.
Patti
I met her over thirty years ago.
For one day she was a part of my life and I thought she would be with me forever.
For one moment I thought I had found my everything,
But it was simply not to be.
Her beauty was understated.
And I have thought about that physical beauty for all these years.
To me she had the body of a ballerina.
Beautiful blue eyes, blonde hair. A nature about her where you want to wrap your arms around her and tell her you’re there to protect her. To love her for all eternity.
Patti and I talked for hours that day.
I told her all my dreams and aspirations and even some fears.
She told me the same and we looked in each other’s eyes and I thought we connected.
“I will see you again!” I called out as she walked away to go home.
She did not look back. She said nothing.
It was at that moment I knew Patti was gone forever.
Mr. Patterson
Everyone in the neighbor loved Mr. Patterson,
We all thought he was a such a nice man.
Of course no one knew who he really was,
We didn’t know who the women were who visited him every weekend.
But there were rumors. There were always rumors.
When I was a little boy and I was playing with my friends outside we would see Mr. Patterson arrive home at around 5pm.
This was during the week and we all assumed he was just coming home after a day’s work.
On the weekends he would be out washing his car or mowing the lawn or watering it.
He had a wife and kid back then and when the wife died and we found out when the ambulance came and they took her away on a stretcher.
Someone said the son’s name was Eddie but then again it could’ve been Timmy.
The last time any of us saw the son he was standing outside his home and Mr. Patterson was shaking his hand.
He was wearing his Marine uniform and we all thought he was going off to war.
No none ever saw him again after that.
Did he die in Vietnam or did he come home become a ski instructor in the San Bernardino mountains like some say.
We just don’t know.
All these years later and my old neighborhood has become a memory to me.
Old friends tell me that Mr. Patterson is still around.
They tell me about the women who visit the old man.
We all ask if these women are lovers and apparently they are.
We then ask if Mr. Patterson pays for the services of these women.
My old friends don’t know.
But assumptions are made.