I’ll Buy

He’s laying in the room next door
Damn Parkinson’s!
Oxygen and morphine comfort
He nears end of
loneliness from wife’s sudden death

I am looking at old pictures
of him and Mom,
from their young, "before the kids" days
He looks happy,
well dressed, shy, kinda fun, fit…cool?
I’m curious
I want to meet his younger self
Drink, talk story
Was he like me? Would we be friends?

I think about dancing circles,
music, laughter
I smell hibachi, andagi:
Obon visions
"Dad, I’ll see you there, we can talk–
I’ll buy first round,"
I whisper hopefully through tears