I drove to the library

June 9, 1975  (I was 30)

I drove to the library

past a kid squatting at the roadside

surrounded by tools and the rear flat

of his ten-speed.  At his age

I’d have never got it together.

I returned some books

scanned the headlines of the papers

and drove back thinking I’d load the bike

into the van and give the kid a lift.

There he was tightening the last nut.

I stopped anyway and told him why.

I asked how long it took him.

He smiled and said he didn’t know.

I said good-bye, he said thanks anyway.