I was eating a sandwich after work,
on the bench underground,
and you walked up and said,
Me, I could never eat in the subway. It’s too gross.
And I said,
Lady, I just got off work. I’m hungry.
And you said,
Well, that bread looks good. Where’s it from?
And then we were off to the races.
You told me about how you had cancer,
and an appendectomy,
and now you eat all the bread in the world,
because life is too short.
You told me you went to the emergency room sixteen times,
before they found the tumor,
and then they didn’t treat you very nicely,
when they were telling you all about it.
You told me you were diagnosed with bipolar,
when you were my age,
and now you’re going through menopause,
and it is Hell. On. Earth.
You said,
Be grateful for every period you have.
And I said
Lady, I’m bleeding as we speak!
You laughed, and I laughed,
and before you got off the train,
you told me you would come to my job,
and buy bread,
and bring me Russian candies,
and I knew that you would not.
and as the doors closed, you said,
Love you!
And they closed too quickly for me to say I love you too,
but,
I love you,
too.