this was my first home
guess it fell off the list of preserves
surrounded by crack houses and beautiful
crack house, victorians
my grandfather was its second owner
if memory serves
sold for 110, only
has a basement
had an orange grove
i shit in the birds of paradise on moving day
must have missed
driven to the hood
in a brown
lion towel
only
couldn't have been winter
my guess
summer
the cousin i later played doctor with
ratted me out
i was four
we used to do spinny copter thingys over the hedge where that tree now stands
dropped a glass of grandmas iced tea i said i could hold
still have the knee scar
at the time
it was like a Cinderella balustrade (?)
that what they call em
the upstairs interior it was like an atrium
i could peek over the banister, on my tippy toes
washbowl on like a foyer table with mirror
used to play in an inflatable light blue
Hawaiian style, canoe full of water, in diapers
the platinks were our neighbors
can u see it
audrey
my momz hs vball coach
who'd prep'd momz for the Korean Olympics, i believe it was
coached me, too
started me collecting music boxes
the oil splash brass onez with motion
had a few weiners baby mama and more
red carew gave her his 84 i believe
bball card
taught me how to drive in her lap up pch around 10yrs
loved it; born to it
she died
while i was robbing my family
cancer
she is the reason my mother is a homeowner
to this day
in 4th ish grade
i was to do a report on a person who meant the world, today
her first brand new car cost $450
one of 3 reports which made my second appearance in print
i lost that report
to this day
i ask about the vet's fav vehicle to get em fired up in memories
it was suggested
then to yesterday
that i write
always fought it
always
she had a plumber's crack
always
best hugger
biggest heart
it's she I'm thinking of
when i ask questions from that report
-audrey
forever a part of me
forever in my heart
I'm sorry i broke yours