Byways in Wisconsin

I The friend in the deli of the Piggly Wiggly in Lodi show me her nails strikes up conversations when I come back to town for a second week of work. I tell her about the work on utility lines on county roads where I control traffic and the beauty of the countryside. She tells me about her daughter two years old who brings joy and says she’s finding her life as we share stories every day. time shared day after day the delectable taste of our conversations II The motel clerk near Portage checks me in for the week. Her black T-shirt says Hot Stuff and I tease her and we learn to confide in each other. We talk about our losses and she says her boyfriend has died from an overdose and I lend her my understanding. One night I sit in the lobby and watch my favorite TV show. She sits on a chair near me as if a date as I sink into the cushions of the couch. We talk about our futures as I check out at the end of the week I say the next I’ll be on another assignment but we vow to stay in touch. moments shared during my stay my home for the week .