Never Could Accept She Was Last Year's Model Poem by Ted Sheridan

She sits and waits for his improbable return; retired
to the one chair she always hated, the old woman now has
no choice but to sit in it, atop the uncomfortable plastic wrap
that keeps the cushion dry. Complaining of aches and pains
which are beyond anyone but God’s control, she mumbles
many incoherent ramblings; most share a connection to 1948.
A newlywed then and still in college; working part time
and with a child on the way, she was hopelessly in love.
Her husband an ex marine had survived several wars
in his relatively short life. First there was the one
he fought with polio, and then the escape he made
from under his mother’s apron and into the service
of his country. Wounded in action back in “45”,
he had limped home to her and a G.I. Bill, where he
applied to receive a higher education.
They quickly purchased a home; complete with the
white picket fence and nosey neighbors. Everyone
enjoyed her cookies and fudge while he told them stories
of the number of enemy he had killed. Most of the women
would ask for her recipes as their husbands would laugh
uncomfortably; not wanting to appear as if they noticed
he wasn’t completely recovered from the psychological wounds
of having nearly lost his legs, not to mention what God placed
between them. Ahhh…the miracle of childbirth was about to occur.
A son was born, followed by a daughter, then another son, three affairs
with younger secretaries and four cars; two were sharp looking convertibles.
The extreme pressures of success and the long climb to the top,
had left them both a bit worn out and very distraught.
Making the move to another state where they could attempt
to start over again, baby girl number two and then three provided no
comfort to her as with each new birth she had, he would seek solace
in the arms of her much younger; less attached enemies….
And then there were the new cars, just like his lovers he traded
them in every other year for the latest model….
She sits recalling the day he left back in “68”. Riding off in his fancy
new Cadillac with its spaceship looking rear fins and tail lights …rumor has it
he drove that car all the way to his grave… as he was always
fighting his internal wars….but now was missing in action.
And even when she did finally receive, notice of a divorce and her
less than honorable discharge from his service, she refused
to believe he was gone. She never really ever has move on
even after his death and the wheels fell off that Cadillac….

2008 © T S