Arriving an hour early on purpose
To take a summer morning walk in the park
Past the picnic preparations on the lawn
Around the Lake House and back to your door.
You were waiting there to welcome us
Improvising a space for a private conversation
Gathering our chairs around the large table in the lobby
As if that room was your front parlor on a stage
Punctuated with the entrances and exits of your neighbors
Parading past as the large cast of characters for our visit
So many surprised and happy to see you again
After such a long time since you have been out of your apartment.
First to greet you came Phil stopping on his way out
He who battled the landlord alongside you forty years ago
Bantering about his white hair under his baseball cap
Showing us the photo on his phone of his curly college locks.
Soon the elevator discharged Pabo sauntering up to you
Asking as he left to only tell the good stories about him
So of course we soon heard of his most notorious escapade
Climbing the front of the building and falling mostly unhurt.
In came the young man carrying his bike up the stairs
Smiling shyly when you called hello to him, telling us
How he rescued you when he found you trapped
Between the door and the wall, calling for help.
Making eye contact with every dog on a leash, inviting each
To come over and smell your hand to make friends
Telling us stories about the hyper-awareness of animals
You know about the extraordinary senses of other species.
We talked about what it means to each of us to transcend
The topic that you had chosen for our visit to discuss
About getting lost in the moment forgetting all else
About the way that a beautiful scene transports us.
Years ago in your Buffalo days how you would enjoy a drive
Going slowly along a country road next to the Niagara River
With a classical music station playing on the radio
Alone with your thoughts enjoying the landscape.
Back in the present at ninety-six years old very much alive
You are moved to speak up forcefully about the plight of the
Palestinians
When March the physical therapist comes over to tell us at
length
Her life story and her ancestor’s stories and even her
Israel trip.
We hear about your phone call from Mary getting in touch
again
Asking for details of the history of the struggle you
remember so well
Telling how Betsy and Steve persisted for a year demonstrating at
the bus stop
Winning in the end the wheelchair accessibility we have
today.
At the departure hour for us we went up to your apartment
Taking the chance to visit a minute with Milt in his bed
Pleased that he recognized us and could joke around
Telling us how his sunset window looks out on Shangri-La
Leaving you with some miniature pastries to enjoy
And a bouquet of flowers picked from our garden
Happy we were able to be with you for a few hours
Taking sweet memories back home until next time.
