His Favorite

driving my little cousin home

my Mother’s Brother’s third child

at six, he’s an engineer in the making

too smart for his own good

well behaved and helpful

if loud and prone to stomping

usually keeping Grammy’s rules

like leaving his toys at her house

so as not to lose them or break them

but as we’re riding down the road

he gets a look on his face

as he rearranges

his suitcase

onto his lap

watching me

as he unzips it

and I knew

even without

seeing

Bumblebee is riding shotgun

his newest toy

a tiny Transformer

he plays too hard with

breaking the joints

out of socket

then working

to put it

back together

nevermind

the beat-up

helicopter

I know

is in his pocket

sitting quiet

and neglected

but still

somehow

his favorite

-M.E.