Bob fell off the wagon again. We talked about it
no more than an hour ago. Now, we’re in the front yard
on this sunny day in January and Bob’s wife comes
outside. I’m leaving him, she says. How are you,
we say. I’m wonderful now that I’m leaving him,
she says. Let us know if you need any help, we say.
What does that mean? Nothing can be helped, not now.
They’ve been together a long time, Bob and his wife.
And all we know of their love is how far ahead of him
she always walks, and how she never looks back,
even when he stumbles, even when he falls.
