November 15, 2008
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?
anthonynorth
November 15, 2008 10:56 am
Well, it happens. Strange how we don’t grant people 20 years older than us a life.
gautami tripathy
November 15, 2008 11:52 am
Roadie poet knows what he wants! Good for him!BR/BR/A HREF=”http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2008/11/distractingly-disjointed.html” REL=”nofollow”distractingly disjointed/A
Celticangel
November 15, 2008 11:59 am
*hugs Roadie Poet*
B. Roan
November 15, 2008 12:23 pm
Maybe his mom will have dumped the boyfriend by the time he gets back from his next month-long gig.
~*sis*~
November 15, 2008 12:28 pm
loved this…hope rp’s boyfriend treats her well!! 🙂
Thomma Lyn
November 15, 2008 1:39 pm
I love RP’s voice. And this poem made me want to give him a hug. 🙂
SmallWorld at Home
November 15, 2008 1:48 pm
Love the forgettable part.
"Sunshine"
November 15, 2008 2:05 pm
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.”
Shelley Munro
November 15, 2008 4:16 pm
LOL Go, Mom!BR/I loved the poem. RP’s voice came through so well.
bunnygirl
November 15, 2008 4:45 pm
Poor RP. Kudos to mom, but she should’ve let her kid know.
Robin
November 15, 2008 5:32 pm
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.
Lilly
November 15, 2008 7:05 pm
don’t ask? but I want to know! Great piece!
Linda Jacobs
November 15, 2008 7:05 pm
You are so good at bringing a young person to life!
Stan Ski
November 15, 2008 7:11 pm
Do as I say, not as I do? Now how many kids ever listened to that one?
Koe Whitton-Williams
November 15, 2008 10:00 pm
I loved it. Especially how Mom gave RP everything he wanted. . . in exactly the order he did not want it:BR/”She gives me food.BR/Takes my laundry.BR/Sends me to bed. BR/BR/In that order.”
tumblewords
November 15, 2008 11:55 pm
Hmm. I’m thinking things’ll change soon. Nice work!
Mary
November 16, 2008 2:12 pm
Good for Mom that RP needed earplugs! I love the poetry voice.
shaunesay
November 16, 2008 7:38 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!
Angel
November 16, 2008 10:03 pm
Very cute. Would be kinda embarrassing though.
Rambler
November 17, 2008 5:14 am
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
SweetTalkingGuy
November 17, 2008 6:46 am
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!
Alice Audrey
November 17, 2008 11:51 am
Awww, poor roadie.
Julia Smith
November 17, 2008 1:01 pm
The return of Roadie Poet! I missed you.BR/BR/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!
Rinkl Rimes
November 17, 2008 9:51 pm
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.
susiej
November 17, 2008 10:29 pm
Earplugs!! What a hoot! Funny, how kids always need their parents to stay the same.
Marcia
November 20, 2008 2:13 pm
My favorite Roadie Poet poem, very favorite. Poor thing, but.