Louis and I
play
checkers
Outside
On a table
at
a
nearby park
For years
Cept now they closed it
and
posted
this
sign
But
we just want to
play checkers
We
went and got a board
put
it on the grass
laid out blankets
and
began
A police officer
(imposing
stern
very serious)
stood above us
and
said
quite clearly:
“Gentlemen
you see that sign?
We got a pandemic
and
you
can’t be here
you
are
too close
together
this
is not allowed!”
Richard,
being who he is,
was
compliant
but
I refused
and
sat there
until the officer
stood
arms akimbo
and
nudged
me
with her boot
I stood up
and
wanted to say all sorts of things
but all that came out was
“I could beat your ass in checkers any day of the week!”
Richard laughed
The officer
seemed taken aback
“Is that right?”
She sat down
motioned
for
me to put the board out
and
lo and behold
we
played a game
and
wouldn’t you know it
that
creep
beat me
She won!
Well
we laughed about it
and
touched our elbows
together
and
it
was
actually rather amusing
Richard,
on
the way
home
said to me
“You sure have a mouth
on
you!”
And I thought
for
the first time
ever
how
much
I
like
my
mouth
except the mask got
in
the
way
Something there is that doesn’t love a mask