Cherry-Almond

.

He liked two things

when he came to our house:

his Buzz Lightyear placemat

and the scent

of Jergens cherry-almond

by the sink.

.

          We judge the addict

          who will do anything

          for his next fix.

.

The last time he came

he was 16

and we had pizza

and he wanted to use

the worn-out placemat

for old time’s sake.

.

          We look down, look

          away,

          close our eyes.

 .

He said he was reading

The Catcher in the Rye –

a favorite of mine, I told him

as he was leaving.

.

             We pretend that we don’t see –

 .

             until it’s our own grandson

             who dies of an overdose

             and our hearts break apart.

.

When he is gone

I wash my hands

breathing his presence

in the scent

of Jergens cherry-almond

by the sink.

.

           We don’t always recover

           from the underlying condition

          of being young

          and oh so invincible.

 .

.

© 2020  Betty Hayes Albright

.

(This is about my dear grandson Jacob who died last March at the age of 24.)

.

 

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