The Gift

An ordinary Work day Coworkers hunched In cubicles Or in open areas Suddenly, a voice Someone is here to see you Looking up I saw an elderly gentleman With a brightly colored package in his hand Who simply said, Hello, I hope I’m not intruding It was someone I almost didn’t recognize Uncle Bernard Someone I hadn’t seen in years Always happy go lucky But years and a divorce Took their toll on him. Small talk and then we stopped By a window Neither of us spoke As we looked down On the City A maze of streets Sharp edges and corners Tall buildings Wide buildings Pointy topped roofs Spirals Slants Spread out in all directions Fast moving cars So nearlike That if we dared We could reach out and stop Them From cutting and darting Their way through The stone forest That stretched end to end In a city built on solid rock. The scene Made him somber The city doesn’t give Many second chances He said I nodded He then said I have cancer I can’t fight it anymore The shock Of what he said Hit hard Touching my arm He said Don’t worry I can’t wait for it to end No more pain. No more doctors. When it was time to leave We walked in silence The chrome elevator doors Opening silently Entering He turned And waved a gentle Goodbye The doors closing quietly And effortlessly. I glanced at the card Neatly stapled to the package It said Congratulations and all the best Uncle Bernie A gift From an uncle To a nephew he never met My son Four months old Healthy Full of life and laughter Adored by his parents Holding the package tightly in my hand I left the empty hallway.