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Marathon Man

Marathon Man

there was

something

about him

that drew me over

alone in the corner

backlit by window rays

turned out

he lived

three doors down

his wife had long since died

his kids had their own lives

so, for social interaction

he’d go sit in a circle

somewhere at some senior center

and since he lived

three doors down

he asked me

to come visit him

sometime

so, I did

the house looked like

a woman lived there

like she’d be home soon

and there were photos

of him and her

everywhere

and I watched him

pour cat food in a bowl

and admired his medals

trophies and plaques

for he had run

and won

many, many marathons

but his body betrayed him

so went his mind

and one day

I saw him out my window

walking

and stopping

down the sidewalk

he was three doors down

but had forgotten

how to get there

and then suddenly

somebody in a truck

like his son or son-in-law or something

got him home

and next thing I knew

he was gone

knocked on the door

but nobody answered

and the neighbor hollered over the fence

that he was gone

that his family thought it best

to move him

and just like that

his black cat became somebody else’s pet

and his medals no longer shined

darkened in a box

and all those photos

of him and her

taken down

a “For Sale” sign

put up

and a newly married couple

still in the blush

of bright beginnings

moved in

with all their things

TL

Published inTamiko Lowery