Rash Decisions (2)

Lucy

Lucy’s name was Evelyn until moments ago

when I decided that Lucy suits her better.

But I still could not decide if she

should accept her neighbor’s offer,

which is still a blur in my head,

but I know it should be scandalous

and maybe even tempting.

But Lucy has somewhere to go.

She ends up taking the long way

home, sees where she can end up--

a neighborhood so high up

in the hills her ears pop,

a drive-thru burrito place where

Henry, now an old man with moles

and a maroon cap, washes her

windshield. Then she finds

her way back to the main road

and hurries home. These are all

things I have done, but Lucy

is a convincing wanderer

whereas I am just lost.

But now the neighbor’s offer

excites her, or me. So she doesn’t

say no immediately, but hesitates instead,

then goes ahead and turns it down

and thinks about how she thought about

saying yes all the way up a new road

that has NO LEFT TURN signs

for miles. I let her drive,

wondering if I will ever make

her knock on that door.