Dear Caregiver

Dear Caregiver… You told me to stand alone so I stood there in shoes I’ve outgrown. You said many things and need I not forget how you would sing in those car rides with the windows down. Late at night listening to the tires scale the ground. I always knew when you felt some kind of way by how red your eyes got and how lame your head would lay. Needless to say your moods were episodic. You’d say yes and mean no, but eventually I got it. I couldn’t wait for mornings when the nights were too dark. I would lie alert staring at the stars that sparked. The stars that gave me life also gave me a mellow sorrow. Something about the way they breathed light into rooms so hollow. Bright sun rays started my days and the heat was enough to set fires ablaze. Hot with rage the teapots blew. You said it was the cure to your blistering headaches after you had a few. A kid like I, I wasn't a pesky thing I dressed myself and even answered the doorbell when it would ring. My dog Rex was never too far behind. Whenever I needed help he was all I could find. Down the street I would spot my school bus. It was always reliable, stable, and a savior for both of us. Before you knew it I was gone. Day after day holding on to clothes I’ve outgrown. I think I missed the teapots the most. Pouring cups in the mornings is what brought us close. After looking at photo albums I had to spare, I removed the one picture I had of you. as if you wasn’t even there.