I'm in bed with a young beautiful
poet ballet dancer
professor of Greek mythology
whose husband is furious
to find us in bed together
discussing Sisyphus
I'm lucky to escape with
my life my underwear
hobbling through the gray damp
morning wearing only skivvies
a middle-aged overweight
woman picks me up
who assumes I'm on my way
to the VA hospital where
she's a psychiatric nurse
no the nearest bus stop
would be nice can I
borrow a dollar for fare?
when she drops me off
she says you don't remember me
do you? a former student!
still angry I gave her
a B not an A
the bus driver won't let
me on until the riders
protest in chorus
"let the old coot on!
let the old coot on!"
of course I don't have
my apartment key telling
the manager some story or
other he lets me in
where I take a very
very hot shower ready to
go back to bed and wake up
from this nightmare
but not yet because
the professor poet
ballet dancer is
in bed waiting for me
wearing her tutu
humming Tchaikovsky
"I don't want to hear
any more about Sisyphus!"
when the manager arrives
complaining of noise
I tell him the TV volume
was on too loud sorry
and he reminds me the rent
is due so I write a check
on his arm and head back
to bed and he says
you sure do have an interesting
retirement
--Charles Deemer
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