***
Never trust an old man
who wants to buy you a drink;
that’s what your Dada
always said
when we went out for the night
and you were like–
yeah Dad
right Dad
I don’t drink
alcohol
cuz you’re
an alcoholic,
and you didn’t say
but everybody knew
that’s also why your
other dad left
without looking back,
and you just stayed
cuz you were little
then you stayed
cuz you turned half the house
into your own living space
and only saw your dad
when he was on the front patio
and you were getting in your car
And he thought
we were in love or something
since he thought everybody was
but him
and when some guy
who wasn’t old
offered to buy you a drink
you just laughed at him
and said
sure man
in a million years
and when the guy said
I have news of your father
you said
new news
or old news
and he said
he got arrested
for starting some fight
and injuring someone
when they refused
him
when he offered a drink
and you just
kinda stood there
so I said
Clarissa,
I think
all these years
your dad was just
sayin’
he was always gonna disappoint you
and you said
logically you knew that
but in your heart
you’d tried to believe
he was giving you
one good piece
of life advice
instead of just saying
not to trust him.
And then
you had the house to yourself
like you’d always wanted
but you couldn’t stand
the silence
so you got me
to take up hiking with you
and that was our thing
for a couple decades
even after he got out and came back home
and that’s probably why
we wound up in a truck together
in the middle of nowhere
where the dragon got us.
So really, it all traces back to him,
your dad
on the nice brick patio,
unless
you believe in fate
then I guess for you
it all traces forward
to the mountain dragon’s lair
where you died
and for me
it all traces to the distance
somewhere through the blizzard
I’m still hiking through.
***
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Jordyn Saelor 