Flip Flops at 4am

A jealous boyfriend loses his temper over a suspicious phone call.

It’s amazing how peaceful our lives can be

The daily dull of nothing happening

We complain about it

We fight against it

 

It only takes one moment for that dull to blaze away

The strange phone call at 2am

Her voice on another man’s phone

Your heart sinking

 

She’s been drinking with friends

It’s no big deal she assures you

They have to eat themselves sober

She’ll be home soon

 

Two hours pass with no word

The restaurant is twenty minutes away

You buzz the strange cell number

His number

No answer

 

You call again and he picks up

Is she there?

Yes, close by her voice echoes

She says she’s buying new flips flops

At four in the morning

 

The anger rises again

His phone, his voice, she’s with him

She’s out at four in the morning

While your home alone

Feeling like a jealous boyfriend

 

It’s no win really

You can be angry or disappointed

Confused or feeling mislead

All of it bullshit

 

Tiny inferences lead you to conclusions

None of which might be true

She has a friend or a crush

It’s usually simple and brief

And harmless

 

Your actions can make it worse

But only worse

Nothing can make it better

Nothing but trust

 

Flip flops at four in the morning

If that’s what she says

Then you believe her

He’s just a friend

So you believe her

 

It’s a feeling of powerlessness

The waiting, the wondering

In the end she did come home to you

And that’s all that matters

 

Besides

She has the new flip flops

To prove it

 

 

www.suburbanfiction.com

 

Reviews

[April Child]

I like this way of writing about jealousy and the title is genius. It's a nicely flowing poem just carries you along with it's rhythm. However, the first 2 verses were the ones for me.... could have been the opening to many different scenarios and it is so true that we complain about boredom but it just takes that one single moment to change everything and make us realise there are worse things than being bored.

[iammerideth]

i really like that twist at the end. "she has flip flops to prove it, this is a great poem"

[Lady Of Darkness]

this makes you think what was he to beleive when she said hes just a friend or his own mind.
Powerful write and great imagery. well done

[~crazy Beautiful~]

first of all i loved the title, very creative
this is so sad, and yet so often true
it is often the most difficult thing to write about
thank you for entering my contest

[SM Davis]

LOVED THIS!!!!!! YES, IT IS SO TRUE...nothing can make it better only worse...wonderful write!!! Thank you for the submission in the contest! You've got a winner here!

[Brenda Sue]

So very cute and can be so true. Great job.

[Carla (trying to make e..]

cute very cute.
thanks for entering my contest.
Carla

[Andrew Watson]

It was actually a surprise that the whole issue was relieved in the end. This poem is great for the fact that it captures jealousy and points out that life isn't always as bad as we think it is. Sometimes everything really is just in our heads. Plus, jealousy can cause problems that never needed to come about, and trust is a very important thing to have for the people in our lives who matter most to us.

[The Ponderings of Bella]

I really enjoyed this poem not only because of the way it flowed but how it was so relateable. It seemed to me that you nailed exactly how every person feels at least once in their life. I feel like underneath all the jealousy there is the undertone of love.... the man isn't only powerless because his jealousy prevents him but also because his love obviously overcomes that dis-trust...... and the "besides she has the new flip-flops to prove it" is a great ending. Well done!!

[Audrey Owens]

I enjoyed this. It makes you think. The lines "Tiny inferences lead you to conclusions, None of which might be true" stood out to me, which hints at the fact that we're only human, and we're going to think that we might get hurt by someone having fun.