red haired
Peggy;
we met
in college
and hung out.
she said
she was going
to be
a doctor
and i
have no doubt
that that is what
she became.
one time she brought
a slew of vinyl
albums
for me to listen to;
Sergio Mendes,
Gabor Szabo,
Herbie Mann.
a little sub-
urban
for my tastes
but still
good listening.
i had an old large
console stereo
in the bedroom
at my mother’s;
and candles
in Chianti bottles
that my mother abhorred
because of the risk
of fire.
and Peggy gave me
a date of return
for
when she would
get
her albums
back.
when she came
to get them
of course
they were strewed
around my room
recklessly.
she just collected them
and went
her way.
the last time
i heard
from her
i was living in a studio
on Blue Hill Avenue.
alone,
disheartened
and disappointed…
trying to make
a go of life,
but lost.
she must have gotten
my phone number
from my mother
and she spoke cheerily
of her pursuits
and confirmed
that she
was still working toward
being
a doctor.
i was as polite
as i could be
but i knew that
we would never
speak
again.
she came to mind
today
out of the blue
fog
that i peep through
these days;
Peggy,
young,
red-haired,
vibrant;
certainly now
with the title ‘Doctor’
and certainly
with
memories
of
her
own.
Linda Tauhid
©11/24/20
