the day began
as any other
in february
in the north
next door
they donned their thermals
made jack london jokes
as they blew steam from
hot black coffees
scraped frost and
talked fondly of
the sunbelt
the morning roads
cry loneliness
dark and icy
someone is driving
car slips and
a terrible sound
passerby calls 911
ambulance arrives
in time
inside the er
those waiting saw
the stretcher roll past
they saved his life
but soon they
put him out again
no family
no friend
and now no car
he stumbles
into the restaurant
down the snowy block
tv on the wall
cable news scaring
drained customers
as he walks in
slowly
she seats him
and lingers for seconds
she knows there is
more to this story
he orders coffee
too tired to
tell tales
and she
too tired
to take his silence
the wrong way
he stays until closing
she pays his bill
a ride offered and accepted
to her lonely apartment
the ghost of her mother
warning her
all the way home
once inside
warm, safe
she phoned
her doctor friend
she came and
his injuries
soon were healed
they talked
they trusted
they both found
what was missing
too much to realize
all at once
as the snow melted
they understood
her life was changed
as was his
so blessed was this meeting
they lived together
for the rest of their lives
alone
together
happily
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