she said her mothers sister

that was loadedhis mothers sister was his aunt 

                                                    she didnt say that       

offering his condolenceshe was still contending with recent griefs 

                                                                  it was water off a ducks back

a cool cucumber

tempted him 

              but he reined in relented

an airport terminal wasnt a place to interrogate her about her relationship with her recently deceased mothers  sister

despite his grating curiosity 

he recognised the tyranny of family

also recognised familial love

they were woven togethernot one without the other 

                                                    which was improbable

the possibility of Loving singularly was to enable it in spite of oneself

not his cup of tea

                 he did not make allowances for familydid not excuse themmake excuses for them

they had to hold their own with him as he made everyone else 

                                                                he as imperfect as they 

in his book no one was exceptional 

they were on the same flight to California

had the plane been on time they would not have engaged each other 

                                                                       inadvertently he fell into conversation the fella he flew with was an intractable gossip and if it werent for his blathering he wouldnt have known

as she went to stand to boardshe was flying First Class he stood offering again his condolences

she noddedwalked off exiting stage left 

cool cucumber

walking away he imagined her face in his eyes etched  lined    not happy 

he wondered if she ever smiled a day in her life

1600 approximately, Day-between-Two-Ts,  21  9. 22

0909,  Saturday,  24  9. 22

Burial  Ashtray Wasp  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VQSJ7Y41I0