Bad Kid
She’s certain to be reminded when she returns for a visit
what an awful child she was to raise
the kid who brought home report cards of all A’s
winning nearly every award each year
on the last day of school in May
keeping her symptoms a secret when she was sick
so as not to ruin her record of perfect attendance
who didn’t drink or do drugs
never needing to be bailed out of jail
spending most of her time alone in her room
reading books and not bothering anybody
sacrificing her seat in the school band for a job
at the age of fifteen so she could afford her own car
before that rarely asking for a ride anywhere
as she possessed two perfectly good feet
to take her where she needed or wanted to go
regardless of rain or snow
though she was ten minutes late once arriving home
from a friend’s house in fifth grade
She didn’t tell them as she sat there in silent tears
at the kitchen table as she was scolded
that she had been offered a cigarette and said no
She didn’t want her only friend to be
considered a bad kid like me
Copyright © Angela Douglas | Year Posted 2022
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