Excerpts 1

I often dream of things that are clearly metaphors for what is happening in my life. They generally take the form of a conversation that seemingly has nothing to do with what it is actually about and the characters are played by people from my past who have had a significant impact on me.

I find that even in life, conversations between people can often hold a different meaning for each participant and I think this will be the first in a series of those conversations as they happened.

I heard the woman behind the counter say,

“up to 21!” as she handed over the coffee

to the person who was standing

in the line in front of me.

I knew her story vaguely

and as a woman of large stature

I thought I knew what her reference

was saying about her success.

When my turn came at the front of the line

I smiled and wished her well.

I said, “congratulations on your achievement,

I think you are well on your way!”

She stopped with the coffee still in her hand

and her face turned to stone.

She looked at me across the counter

as if I had just hit her.

She said, “Really how would you know

anything about me?”

“You who don’t even own a pair of boots

knows what it means to work?”

I stood there stunned and amazed

and realized she had no idea.

And that I had no idea either

of what she had actually meant.

I took the coffee from her hand

and laid the money on the counter.

I turned around and walked away

with my mouth still hanging open.

Not more than a few steps down the street

did I hear steps following me.

I braced myself for what would come

and slowly turned around.

She took me in her arms and said,

“I’m sorry, I’m losing my mind.”

I said, “I’m sorry as well, I thought

you had meant you were losing weight.”

“I had overheard you once before

saying that was your goal.

When you mentioned the number 21

it sounded like success to me.”

“I’ve been there”, I said,” I know how hard

that particular battle is.”

She said, “I wish it was that easy

my battle has a different name.

When you called it out to me

it did not sound the same.”

The battle she was fighting was

very different indeed.

She was saving money

to buy new shoes for her kid.