Collateral Heart Damage

- February 20, 2023

She was going to Aunt Zella’s

Mom was away at the Lawyer’s

Dad on business in South Korea.

Import-export. Zella was loaded, sent a Chauffeur Inherited husband’s largesse.

Big name Art Dealer.

Debra had a lot to process

Arguments increasing

Frequency, vigour.

On went her earphones usually

Or some escapist Sci-Fi novel.

Liked Robert Sawyer the best.

Canadian. Fascinating.

WWW Trilogy for example.

But all around Debra

Was non-fiction, painful, angering

Parents like the children.

Small triggers in the everyday.

Roles reversed, Debra felt like some sort

Of Midway Prize.

Big smile, clown-like

Ribbons swirled all around.

Long heirloom dress.

And Both were out of Town.

They were the Clowns.

Nothing but frowns.

(Once I was a Lawyer in Ontario. Fourteen years. Then I left the junkpile. Banker said that I had to. Ended up in steel manufacture. Thirty-three years.The legal work included divorce and family cases, separations, mediation. Often the parties appeared to be like children

fighting in the sandbox, arguing over trinkets, using child custody issues like pawns in chess. Not precious offspring. Pity.)