yellow rotary
phone – kitchen
dinner time
mom picks up
the receiver
a boy for you –
announced because
it is unusual
boys’ voices now
so impossibly deep
“josh likes you”
confusion
josh? likes me?
just that day
josh had made a
nerdy boy cry
he had made
my socials studies teacher
see red
me, he ignored
in the kitchen, I
try to speak
without saying anything
aware of my mother’s ears
I turn to the wall – wait
then the next words
“just kidding”
and laughter
I replace the receiver
avoid my mom
whose eyes pick up
where her ears left off
and wonder why
I feel disappointed
that josh doesn’t like me
after all
What a mother! No wonder you wanted your own phone. Loved the story! Mom
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