Joelene

Let me tell you ‘bout the subway.

It was crowded.

And smelled like old fart.

And had people wearing hats and coats

and pushing each other around. “Outta my way!”

Mamaw held me close to her, like I was five.

Didn’t like it.

Then when Papaw waved his hand,

and Mamaw smiled and waved too.

I felt left out.

Because I couldn’t see him.

I tipped on my toes.

And peered over heads.

And tried to find what

they were so excited about.

Then I caught a glimpse of dirty-brown hair

and a grin and a straight nose

and a cigarette hanging from the corner

of a raspberry-pink mouth.

And my world stopped.

Uncle Eric was no Uncle.

He was youngish.

A bit old and a bit young.

He tore through the crowd

like a brewing hurricane.

See it here.

The Hurricane.

I froze like one of those mannequin Mamaw

used to pin up at the town's old clothes shop.

And my heart hee-hawed like

the horses we had at our home.

Eric grinned and took my father in a big ‘ole hug.

Now that he was nearer, he was old.

Not old, old.

But older than me.

By...

Can’t tell ‘ya.

But...we were gaps a part.

I love men with pot bellies.

Eric has/had no pot belly.

He didn’t drive a truck. He had on a wife-beater

and smoked but I had to wait ‘till we got back

to know if he liked dogs.

The furry ones.

Then when he greeted Mamaw,

I shyly swung from left to right.

Waiting for my turn.

Mamaw came alive when they hugged.

She looked like a red rose.

And I knew then, he was no Uncle.

They just called him that.

Then his eyes settled on me.

And I pinked with sin.

Eric grinned wide. “who’s this?”

Before I can say a thing, Mamaw said:

"Joelene. Don’t remember her?”

“Of course, I do,” Eric said

with this cute smile,

“she’s got so big.”

He eyed me from head to toe.

Eyes fixed on my titties for too long.

And I thank God I started blooming

from seventh grade.

“Know me?” I raised a brow.

It came off rude.

Mama slapped my arm.

“Stop it!”

Uncle Eric just grinned wider.

“Of course, I do.”

“How?” I squinted my eyes

from the late morning sun.

“He came to look for us

some years ago. You were a baby then.

He was just finishing high school.”

Papaw said, gleaming with pride.

“Oh.” Was all I said,

but Eric kept looking

and looking and looking.

At Me.

Then Mamaw ruined everything

when she said: “time to go back.”

And I knew things were just going to start...