Just Too Late

JUST TOO LATE Five past five Sign across the glass door states “Closed”. At the adjacent store I had just left, There were no more spools of whipcord For the grass trimmer Which I had bought too late in the season. The grass was vigorous and green but seeded only Three weeks earlier, in mid September. Couldn’t seed it earlier As the ground had to be re-soiled After the construction of the freshly-roofed house. Roof and walls of the house were Only put in place in February, after a difficult winter. Even though the house was started last year, There had been delays with paperwork For gas, electricity and water: We should have started the paperwork two years earlier, But were distracted by illness And the need to buy an apartment in the city As a fall-back investment To cope with any unforeseen expenses with the house. We bought the apartment following the starting At a new job in this city, After me quitting the previous job and moving house, In order to be together at long last - After our two legal separations were settled Allowing us to marry. That followed both our retirements From long careers as professionals And started us in this part-time worklife of teaching, So completely different from the past: Twenty five years in one office Or fifteen years in some other production process. Ten past five now, and I decide to come back To the adjacent store tomorrow And check to see if he has any more whipcord. Got to get the grass cut - late, but Before another difficult winter. ........................................................................