Elzi.

Letters L an Z abbreviation for names you were given but don like Otto Bob great if dyslectic theres George WhellGeorge whadaya think Georgeduh

she giggled No. Given. Parents creatives.

Not Elsieexcuse me the cow the Borden Dairy symboladvertisementcaricature

giggled again No. Z and ends with I . . like memento mori, you know memento mori?

Ofcourse memento object reminder souvenir of a person or event Mori ending with an I Latin to die verb morier mori mortuus sum or the always favouriteclassic gladiators line nos morituri te salatamus we who are going to die salute you 

     Memento mori

You know Latin?

I dabble bits and pieces

A history buff?

Am now not in schoolrequired to graduate high school don know if thawas a requirement for you so rather than suffer an entire year I did summer school six weeks five days a week eight to twelvethirty passed with a C

A C.  I never got one of those.

A D

Never got one of those.

   I got two but thawas passing Geometry physics both teachers said they had never seen a student try so hard but fail an in good conscience they couldnt fail me although freshman year junior senior got As in math physical science biology chemistry two As a Bplus wasnt stupid concepts didnt gel Geometrys too linear I don work thaway 

                                                                                                                  Not Elyse

No, though it’s a pretty name. Elzi. E L Z I. 

they met on a cross country bus he didnt see her get onwouldnt have missed her

couple hours later the bus stopped for a breaksaw her she saw him    

after two state lines she approached him in a diner on route dinner break driver swap

   Excuse me, would it be okay if I sat an ate with you?

he stood too quickshe laugheddidnt cover her mouth exposed deep dimples 

Yahsure please 

               he extended his hand Joe 

she set her foodtray on the table took his I’m Elzi.

their trip ended in Seattle she sat beside him the final states was returning to U W for her senior year he was visiting his daughter

he carried hisher onboard bags off the bus then gathered their other bags from its belly a classmate was coming to collect her he was taking transfers local buses to meet his daughter at work had told her not to lose time his was unencumbered

he carried their bags to the street before the transit station

                                                              My ride should be here in twenty minutes. 

My bus goeshmmwha time is it 

she looked at her wristwatch Crazy eleveneleven . I love this tim . .

. . Stop  ya kiddin me my daughter an I text it if either of us catch it he went for his cellphone inside his jacket

Eleventwelve.

Nuts 

Goodness, that disappointing? 

I cant tell ya the times Ive seen it an then Im late

Eleventwelve.

A sinister time if ever there was

   You’re a piece of work.

Thank you        

a car hornsounded was directed at them

Elzi looked My ride. she turned to him It’s my ride.

Your rides here

It is.

Oh

Uhoh.

he smiled 

           Im gonna miss ya he hugged her hardshe hugged him back they leanedaway still in one another arms it was awkwardhe thought rawawkwardness  I want to kiss you 

I want you to kiss me

it was a deep kiss 

a soulful kiss

car horn 

still kissing 

   car horn                 

still kissing 

horn

they came up out of the warmestblue to breath

I think my boyfriends upset with me.

Your boyfriend  

                You didnt say

   Would you believe me if I said I forgot?

Yes

I forgot. That’s your fault.

AM,  Twosday,  30  5. 23

1256,  Twosday