50 People - 12 Poem by Raj Dronamraju

12

Maureen asked me to listen to a voice mail from her boyfriend
She wanted a witness to his angry, abusive ranting
But I was also a witness to her strung-out ramblings
The new anti-depressants she was prescribed put her temporarily out of her mind

Maureen and I had a drink after work
She shared with me a few half-truths
I saw her destination but she wouldn't tell me how she arrived there

Maureen worked in inside sales for the same company as me
I must have looked like someone who was a good listener
She seemed eager to tell me her sad stories

When she laughed, saliva pooled at one side of her mouth
Not everything we tell is a complete revelation
Sometimes it's just filling in outlines
These outlines are the people we meet and know