A Walk With Betty

She greets me with lipstick carefully applied On a Sparkling face She takes my arm I resist the urge to drag her along behind me At my break-neck pace I slow to her measured steps At the stairs she asks “How do these people know me?” I interrupt an impulse to run up the stairs two at a time Instead I join in her dance of one-step-at-a-time “I brought you here once before.” She shakes her head Her brain waves have already turned that memory to foam And carried it away on the current I briefly wondered How would it be if we could choose the memories to send out on that tide? Would we know peace? At the top of the stairs she sings “Rock of ages, cleft for me” Frustration of not remembering already forgotten She sings the whole song perfectly Like a song bird Not missing a note, a word, or a beat