A Day In An Ordinary Life

A Day In An Ordinary Life By Edmund Siejka Watching TV More out of boredom Than anything else He allowed his imagination To drift Back To when He was a teenager Sitting in a darkened movie theater Lost among the empty matinee seats Slouched Knees propped against the seat in front of him Quiet and unnoticed Watching Hollywood’s version of life Trying to understand What the images On the giant screen Were trying to tell him. Impulsively he went upstairs Two steps at a time Leaning against the bedroom door frame He watched his wife dress The room was stuffy Blinds drawn The hissing of the radiator made him feel drowsy Over her shoulder she said “Sit down, you’re making me nervous.” Looking at the clothes strewn bed He walked over to the rocking chair Near the window The wooden slats pressed against his back Forcing him to move forward On its edge Stopping its swaying motion. Holding up a dress she asked what he thought of it He didn’t think anything of it Dimly aware of something else He said nothing As she searched through the closest For another dress Suddenly he asked where their daughter Was “She left early Had to meet someone all the way out at Stony Brook.” “And Jon?” “Jon has his own plans That’s the way kids are today” she said Carefully pulling out a third dress She stood in front of the mirror Letting the silky floral pattern Cling to her. Standing up He hesitated Wondering what to say next When their silence was broken By a noise From the kitchen. Going downstairs He saw his son Back turned Peering into the Refrigerator From a room away He called out Without turning his son said He was hungry. Smiling he replied Make something for both of us Father and son worked in the kitchen Not a word being said As they maneuvered past the cabinets And past one another Eating in comfortable silence Punctuated by few words. At the end of their meal The son took off The front door slamming shut. Minutes later The wife came down Saying that she would be late Crossing the stairs She went out through the garage. Living room curtains discreetly parted He watched her drive away As the hands of the kitchen clock Reached straight up To 12 noon. Picking up a book He began reading Not hearing or seeing anything else Bu the words in front of him As the afternoon quietly slipped away.