Henry’s Day
Alarm clock goes off.
He opens his eyes, squinting and turns off alarm.
Flexes his toes, stretches arms, yawns.
Throws sheets off his body, feels cold.
Lays there, watching his chest rise and fall.
Sits up. Feet touch cold linoleum floor.
Walks to bathroom. Sees his placid face in mirror.
Spreads cool menthol shaving cream on whiskered
cheeks.
Carefully runs shaver across contours of face,
Around cheek bones, jaw, chin, and lips.
Washes face with cold water. Slaps
after shave on.
Cheeks feel chilly.
Combs hair with brush, feeling pain
when pulling tangles out.
Puts on robe and goes to living room and opens front
door.
Squints in bright sunlight while
picking up newspaper.
Walks to kitchen, putting paper on
table and kettle on burner.
Sits at table reading about
Kettle whistles, pours tea, puts
in teaspoon of sugar.
Sips hot tea. Tongue gets a little burned.
Reads whole newspaper, feels sad for world.
Turns on TV. Watches game show.
Girl wins new car. She is jumping up and down,
screaming, ecstatic.
He turns off TV
Sits in recliner listening to clock tick tock.
His heart beats, as the moments of his life rush by.
He puts on clothes, straightens collar.
Walks out into cool fall air.
Sees children waiting in line to
get on a school bus.
Wishes he was a child again.
Walks in corner drug store, gets Time magazine.
While checking out cashier says to him,
“Henry. You going home to
solve the problems of the world?” He nods.
Sees laughing teenage girls walk past as he walks out
the door.
Walks home. Lays on recliner, watching sit coms on TV.
Feels pain in chest. Sighs.
