Pizza

Slice of Life

By: Melissa de Haan Cummings - Aug 11, 2015

Go ask Dad for money
He doesn't have any
He'll try to get some
Put your shoes on
There's three places
I can look for money
Shoes on yet?
I got a roll of quarters
Which is ten dollars
Plus one dollar
for my tooth
Where are your shoes?

A flat path
through the feathery
green silent morning
carrots to ponies
Flatten your palm
Pull your thumb in
Pinto can find a carrot
on the ground
Tall ones cannot
You distract her
so I can pick it up

I'm going where
the kranky lady lives
No!
Sata! 
Tell him not to go there!
I'll go with him

Where does that path go?
It makes a loop
It's more down hill
if we go back
to the beginning
What?
If we take it from here
it's more up hill
Let's go back
Careful Sata
Don't go on that side
O K
This side is rocky
That way was better
Nice choice Riley

Now we can take
the trail Riley wanted
Where does it go?
To Woodbury Street
Washington Street
and the cemetery

Quit hitting my tire!
Hurry up then!

Help me up the hill
This is the highest hill
in the cemetery!
Me and Dad came down
on sleds!
I can ride Sata's bike!
I lowered the seat
Don't push my tire!
Quit going so slow!
Sata!
Tell him to hurry up!
Go left
Ha! Ha!  You went right!

In the narrow front hall
dark because the cat pees
on the living room couch
two teasing boys
a husband with the trash
a wife with a bicycle
and an evil temper
from constant sniping
and the doctor
who isn't replying
to three simple
electronic letters
Where are we going?
The Cove
I wanna go to Good Harbor
The Cove
Good Harbor
flip a coin
Wrong drawer bangs
on the floor
Not that one!
Can't replace it
Husband repeats
a favorite line
Maybe it's too full
I call heads
It's heads!
Two out of three!
No!
Three dogs to be leashed
after the coin toss
Can't see the heads
in the crowd
in the dark
Forget the drinks
the money the sun bloc
the younger boy needs
to walk home for
Kick the dog the brake pedal
slice the edge of the big toe
Worry it's serious
like the neighbor's sole
Stop it!
I'm ready to quit!
I thought I was helping
You're making it worse!
I'm having a hard time
with the boys!
Wash blood in the ocean
Sun it
Is sand in it?
Sata!  Your toe is bleeding!
I know!  You made me so mad
I smacked the pedal
Will the injury
bother bike riding
yoga tennis?

Can we have some help
with this knot?
It's mine  I took Joe out
I brought him in
It's my knot  It's a square
A simple square
Mine was a bowline
and two half hitches
It doesn't help that the lines
are different sizes

Wanna see my hideout?
We were playing a game
We were spying on you
And throwing pebbles at me!
Yah  Come on and see it
O K

Melissa you cut your foot
I know  The boys threw me
into a rage and I kicked
the brake pedal

What's his name?
Hazel
Hooray for Hazel!
Know that song?
Are you coming down?
For like fifteen minutes
All right  Don't dry your hair
If she goes in the bathroom
she'll dry her hair  I know it
I know it

I saw a rabbit in my secret cave
He came toward me and I patted him
Then he ran up the path to Kathy's
hiding in the bushes
Watch this!
Guys!  There's a giant lobster!
I'm bleeding!
Wipes his knee
Did you leave your shirt over there?
Yup  I'm going over there
Plunge

I like it here at this time of day
Peaceful
Like the woods
The water has moved
from halfway up
to halfway down
in nearly six hours
Rock the board!
Tip it!  Splash!

UMass freshman Josh
in his new shirt
carries three boxes of pizza
That's linguica
See you guys later
Look how much
the tide went down
since I been here
What're you getting old?
Gotta write everything down?
Melissa!
Want a slice of pizza?



Melissa de Haan Cummings
5 August 2015