Learned a lot about myself - Poem: Dining at Dunkin Donuts - The Proud Robin

My sister Ellen came over. I persuaded her to stay so we could talk. Not necessarily about 96-yo Mom, but about life in general.

I really enjoyed it and so did Ellen. She said she'd read that everyone thinks about killing themselves.

Not true, I argued.

Just then, Scott came over.

Did you ever think of killing yourself, I asked.

Of course not, he said. If something was troubling me, I'd figure out how to solve the problem.

I may have mentioned that one of Scott's SEPTA buddies died at age 66.

His wife called and said My husband hasn't come home yet.

Mike was in the parking lot, his engine still running, and died of a heart attack.

Thank you so much, AARP Awards, for giving me the award for best actress.

 She was actually wearing a blue patterned suit.

Just checked the Times. No mention of the AARP Awards for Grownups.

I bicycled while watching. "The Bicycle Thief" was the favorite film of the first guy Savarin Savarin who designed me a website.

What I learned from Ellen was that I'm neat and organized. No stuff lying in the living room / dining room. Can't stand a messy house. My bedroom is also neat. Used to be that when I was working on the Compass my house was a mess.

That's bc I was also working at Bristol Bensalem Human Services.

Am now gonna watch a documentary suggested by Rem.

Here's a poem I wrote earlier today.

DINING AT DUNKIN DONUTS

An Iced Cappuccini, please,
said a woman in the Drive-Thru.
Before I forgot, I ordered
the same thing, putting my
book on the table with my
gloves and sunglasses.

How delicious. I opened my
book and read the gruesome
details of a murder in the
City of Sin, New Orleans.

My eyes began to close.
Whoa! Coffee's sposed to
keep you awake. Open your eyes
I said or you'll
end up on the floor.

What a master of disgusting
language is James Lee Burke.
A clock was in the corner.

Great! Time for lunch!
A croissant with eggs and cheese,
no meat, I said, forgetting
the word please.

Took seven minutes to eat, but
I was in no hurry. Home would
wait for me, until I couldn't
go home no more.

WALKED around the block when I got home. Saw a Red Robin, my first.

Then, when Ed walked by with his frisky black dog Maggie, I popped my head out, told him, and he said, "I've got you beat, I've seen three or four."

THE PROUD ROBIN

He could be a doorman at a downtown hotel
Or a father coming home from work,
opening up the paper on the red couch
and waiting for dinner to be served.

He could play hopscotch with the kids
down the block who will hug him
when they're finished.

He could sleep on the husband's
side of my bed and we'd cuddle
through the night.

When morning comes
he'd be out the door
before I had time
to miss him.