ANOTHER MEETING.

[dadio]

Elaine ate her sandwiches
in the lunch room
sitting on a stool
eyes lowered

trying not to listen
to others
in the room
not wanting

to draw attention
to herself
sitting there
the bread

was dried out
the luncheon meat
yucky and tasteless
the window looked out

on the playing field
sun was out
sky silky blue
she ate as much

as she wanted
and got off the stool
packed
her lunch box away

and left the room
and walked down
the passageway
and out onto the field

where she waited
by the fence
her satchel
over her shoulder

what you waiting for Frumpy?
a girl said
passing her by
she didn't reply

she looked
at the field
to see if the boy
named John

was out there
somewhere
she tightened her grip
on the satchel strap

boys passed by
a group of girls giggling
she felt self conscious
looked at her shoes

her laces
the way she tied them
I’m a bit late
John said

but here now
she looked up
and he was there
with his quiff of hair

and hazel eyes
been waiting long?
he said
no not long

she said
just come out
he nodded
and looked around him

she looked away
felt tense
felt her body shake
how about a walk?

he said
she moved with him
as he walked
from the fence

he spoke
of the lessons
of the morning
she listened

but didn't listen
the words seemed
odd to her floating
about her

she gazed at his hand
beside her
the fingers
the ink stains

on the tips
still he spoke on
and she moved her hand
close to his

so that
they almost brushed
against each other
her hand just inches away

he talked almost
non stop
his words spilling out
his eyes wide open

she felt strange
felt her stomach tighten
her legs shaky
can we sit for a while?

she said
yes yes
he said
and they sat

on the grass
near the upper fence
are you all right?
he asked

she nodded
folding her legs
under her
pulling her green skirt

over her knees
he went on
about the Jay he'd seen
about where it nested

and all she could think of
was his neck showing
where buttons were undone
the naked skin

his Adam's apple
rising and falling
and nearby in the woods
a bird was calling.