Father is up early. He smokes
his first cigarette while shaving
in front of the bathroom mirror
before dressing and heading off
to work. At an early age, I learned
that is what fathers are supposed
to do.
Grandma drinks her coffee and
smokes cigarettes in the morning.
She bakes oatmeal cookies for her
grand kids in the afternoon. I know
this because as a child I would see
this is what my grandma used to do.
Old men sit on benches in the
middle of the day, smoke cigars
and feed the squirrels peanuts in
the park. I know, because this is
what I have seen old men do.
Firefighters wash and wax their
engines when they aren’t busy
fighting fires. They lean back
in their wooden chairs and
chat with one another when
there is nothing else to do.
I used to watch them in my
neighborhood every day on
my way home from school.
Butchers slice meat into steaks.
Bakers bake donuts and cakes.
Mail carriers deliver mail in rain,
sleet and snow. Teachers teach
ABCs, math and history.
Robbers rob banks. Ballplayers
chew tobacco and spit their wads
in the dugout as pilots fly airplanes
to far away places. I know because
I have seen them with my own eyes,
or so I have been told.
When I was about 10-years
old a friend of mine told me
where babies come from.
At first I couldn’t believe
my parents would ever do
such a thing. And I thought
to myself, how aweful. Why
would God ever allow that to
happen?
Nowadays in the throes of
my old age, given in a life-
time what I have seen, heard
done and know, I have come
to believe there is nothing on
Earth people can do which
would surprise me.
And although she’s long gone
now, I suppose grandma knew
a hell of a lot more than I ever
gave her credit for.
-30-
Chris Hanch 6-23-2021
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