mmmmcccxxv

leaning

he got real intense,
leaned over and
practically into
the website....

gripping a cane
with his mottled
right hand, the
old man watched

another coming
at him with a tall
face divided in
half by a long

smile, arms
bent down to
a walker—two
broken hips

passing in
broad day
light....
holding

two overdue
invoices
in his left
hand, herc

ules was
doing his
damnedest
to navigate

the website
—disputed
documents
dot com—

without ask
ing anyone for
assistance....
in the middle

of the assisted
living center’s
luncheonette
-esque dining

hall stood a
bright red
boombox
blaring

bill withers’
lean on me....
charlie had
a wide circle

of friends.
when he died,
each of them
knew that

they now had
no one upon
whom they
could rely.