seven simple rules for living in hiding

i got to the party late and did so completely unnoticed.
this is what i told myself as i stood at the edge of the porch
near the stairs, and the cooler of beer.

so, obviously, i was shocked when he came up to me
and told me he was sorry for all he’d done
but that he hoped to remedy it soon.
he took a few steps away, and stared out at the crowded sky.

the sun was setting and i watched it through the branches.
then john found me. he asked if i’d ever met that man,
and i hadn’t. ever.

john told me it was said he lost his wife in a repair shop,
but that was a vague sort of answer, and i stood there
thinking about how the day i arrived
looked a lot like today.

jane came by and said we shouldn’t talk about these things,
that there were better things to talk about,
and that she was looking for an extra grill rack.

as i left, the apologist was inside, gazing at the thermostat
with an expression on his face i was hesitant to read.