We were friends, but different.
I loved her loud laughter as it ripped
raucous down staid hallways. Proper
professionals tried to shush her. Didn’t work.
She admired my cooking, the
let’s take it on the road headful
of ideas, my penchant for planning.
We both worshiped the water. Once
visited Niagara. Shouldered our way as close
as we could get. Got really wet.
stood gaping
at the spectacle.
Each spring we skipped lunch
to follow the river
from the high pond
the higher falls,
lower falls,
caught wild spray and crashes,
down the
ripple of rapids.
all the way
to the Kennebec River.
Sat on the same rock together
Wind blew our hair,
voices drowned out
Glancing
from falls to rapids,
back and forth,
grinned at each other.
Not even a drizzle now.
She retired to Florida,
I helped her cart
it all off to Goodwill.
The rock is there still.
