200 Words or Less, #2

we are smiling as we approach the grocery store in the river town

as we've noticed the familiar transit van from our county

our county

which lies across the muddy river 

in a completely different state 

we seem to see our county transit van everywhere 

transporting seniors 

to their destinations

from a rural food desert 

to a grocery store 

maybe to the doctor’s office 

providing rides in an area with no bus 

or train

or Uber 

I hear an unmistakable sound 

wretch 

heave 

or as my grandson calls it, “un-swallowing” 

a frail man on bended knee 

head bent as if in prayer

nothing seems to come of his repeated efforts

a transit driver stands idle

her back to him on the opposite side of the van 

a faraway look in her eye  

my brain runs through well meaning questions 

and responses 

sir, do you need help? 

thanks but, I can vomit on my own

may I get you anything? 

perhaps just privacy...

bypassing the juice aisle

I buy a bottle of water

as an offering

but he is gone

so is the van

and the suns casts an iridescent dazzle on the emerald bile

200 Words or Less, #1

“Sometimes I don’t feel like running, but when finished I’m always pleased.”

“Ah yes,” responding with arched brow, “the hardest part is tying your shoes.”

Its diaphanous wings are dragonfly-like, but it’s smaller. It travels along side me, matching my pace.

Hey, good start but,

try staying up.

Where are your wings?

Hmm, maybe not

but, nice attempt.

Quite suddenly it darts away.

I continue pushing off, lifting one foot as my other foot has not yet touched ground. Momentarily I am airborne. Gravity yields. I alight just long enough to garner power from the planet’s core or from my body. It’s enough to propel me up and forward, again and again…

I do this for three miles, a distance that works for me. Any more and my body rebels.

I pluck a feather from the flesh near my hip

a full, though somewhat damp feather.

How did it become rooted in my body?

a transformation

no longer a 67 year old human

I am a flying being

power surging

running with the abandon of a child

one airborne step at a time

a stand of aspens bursts into applause

as I soar 'cross the finish line