Mary

great aunt, kissed me yesterday after bidding fond adieu's to fleeting flashbacks of youth streaks of invincibility stiffened her spine when a gentleman came calling courting her future a legitimate suitor awkward member in good standing of the Chicago Fire Department A man unaware of the elements due to generations of Irish breeding mule, mick, jackass, workhorse, turf-cutter, he responds to all equally stones of rough leathered hands... make him free to cast a roving eye, flash a quick smile share a wink with a girl hanging laundry out back to dry aunt kissed me today, longer holding on to that sweet floating feeling that anything might happen and would when the Holy Trinity cuts her a break if Paddy can turn the other cheek oblivious to water that Mary's mother threw off the back porch onto his only brown suit onto his pride onto Halsted Street bright Sunday morning in June The triplets had ruse in motion ascetic, etched from strict culture preordained her new life of solitude Paddy, fresh off the boat wet behind the ears soaked in shame never came back auntie grieved unwed will always kiss