readingpoem #7
A recent letter from my sister, Pat,
relates this tale about our oldest
sister Joan as a kid.
joan read all the time – do you recall
when we were parked in front of the
post office I don’t remember quite
how it began but I have a clear picture
of our sister emerging from the p.o. her
eyes on the book feeling with her feet
her way down the steps never taking her
eyes away from the pages in front of her
and then watching her walk toward our
car still reading crossing the sidewalk
coming to the curb and with one hand
holding the book in front of her face
groping with her other hand for the
car door handle then yanking the door
open the only problem was she had felt
her way to the car closely parked behind
us where the owner had been sitting in his
front seat leaning his elbow on the window
sill watching joan approach with her arm
outstretched like a blind man – when she
grabbed the handle and pulled, the amused
man either pretended to fall out of his car
or really did fall out only then did joan
take her eyes off the book she was reading
2011 Jacqueline Jackson
