The Gaze Of A Man Poem by Alexandre Nodopaka

It was an easy afternoon.
The man woke late morning.
Offered his good byes
to the visiting daughter
and granddaughter.

Two days earlier they came
unannounced to check
on their father-grandfather
health progress.

The old man thought of it
as a waste of money
them having traveled
more than what would be
a 850 mile round trip.

He thinks Skype
would've been an as great
communication method
and totally free.

Why is the man worried?
It's not his money nor does
he make eighty bucks an hour.

His Social Security qualifies
him for maybe eight dollars
an hour.

In any case the visit went fine
until after they left.

Nine hours later they call
with the good news
of their arrival at their home.

Luckily the telephone in the old
man's hand had stayed in
his pajama pocket as he answered
the phone from a prone position
staring at eye level at the black
rubber tire of the walker.

~~~
Alex Nodopaka © Feb 2020