the very brave

saturday afternnon.
wal-mart.
feelings of annoyance and irritation
i expected
but
despair?
not since the panic attacks
of 2005-2006
have i had to stave off
copious tears
in raw meats
but
the problem was
jack in his
baseball uniform
if you’ve never been
shopping
accompanied by a boy in uniform
you’ve missed this:
did you win your game?
what’s your batting average?
what position do you play?
you know the braves are making a comeback.
       my boys are twenty-five and thirty -
      they played all through the years.
      i really miss that.
we walk away and jack whispers
do we know him?
and all at once i’m bawling
because i know there is an
end
to the pile of cleats
the gloves in the car
home plate and a pitcher’s mound in the yard
and i’ll be the stranger in wal-mart
quizzing little kids in their uniforms
did you win your game?


Linking up to Chatting at the Sky and Finding Serendipity today.