Happy boarded the 6 PM bus from Market St to Franklin Ave like he did everyday after work. He sat down in his usual seat, the fifth one on the left. He sat down to relax on his ride home. He noticed a baseball cap sitting on the seat next to him. He picked the cap up and examined it. The cap had the sales tag attached. A new hat. Someone must have dropped the hat out of their bag.
“Their loss, “ He thought.
He ripped off the tag and put the cap on. He could hear people’s thoughts.
The odd man remained silent, forcing a small copper box into my hands.
I looked at the box. “What’s this?”
He remained silent.
I examined the box. There didn’t seem to be anything extraordinary about it. I tried to lift the lid. The box didn’t open. I looked up at the odd man.
“How do I open it?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
I shrugged mine back. “What’s that supposed to mean. You give me a nondescript copper box and expect me to know what to do with it.”
“I was only told to deliver it.”
With that he left.
An upside down pencil drawing of a mother, father and baby.
The ghost was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when he walked into the kitchen. His first instinct was to turn and run. Instead he just stood there.
“”You know it’s impolite to stare.”
Joe blinked and shook his head. “Huh…what?”
“I said, it’s impolite…”
“I heard you..I’ve just never seen a ghost eat before. Cone to think of it I’ve never seen a ghost before.”
“Don’t get used to it. I’m just passing through.”
Joe just stood there.
“Get it…passing through.”
“I got it…want really that funny.”
“Way to hurt a ghosts feelings.
“The prom, not another word about the prom. That’s not for people like us.”
“Why, Tommy?”
“We come from the poor side of town…we don’t fit in with the rich Jolene.”
“But….”
“Don’t you think I want to go? There is not a girl I know who will say yes.”
“Have you asked anyone?”
“No, Jolene I haven’t.
“Well then how do you know the girl will turn you down?”
“Jolene, just drop it.”
“Here comes Jennie, ask her.”
“What, no way. She’s out of my league.”
“Tommy, I’ll call her over….hey Jennie.”
“No…”
“Here she comes…”
“Why did you do that?” Tommy whispered.
Jennie strolled over to where they stood. “What’s up guys?”
Tommy remained silent. Jennie was out of his league.
Jolene looked at Tommy. “Ask her.”
“Ask me what?” Jennie looked from Jolene to Tommy.
Tommy met Jennie’s gaze. In his heart he knew the answer to the question on his lips. So it didn’t matter?, “Would you go to prom with me?”
“Well.”
Here it comes Tommy thought.
“I thought you and Jolene would be going together.”
Tommy looked at Jolene. He’d never thought of asking her. “Would you?”
Jolene smiled, “Yes.”
It was going to be weird
Both of these drawings were drawn upside down and then highlighted in charcoal pencil.
“I’m not as bad as you may think I am.”
“Shut up evil one.”
“Oh, gonna resort to name calling. Okay, yeah I’m the big bad wolf. I do have street creds to uphold but I’m not a bad guy.”
“You ate my grandmother.”
“Hello, I am a wolf. I eat meat, Red”
“Well your meat eating days are over…”
You can’t kill me Red…you and I go way back…”
“If you call going way back..you trying to kill me every time we meet. What’s the deal with that anyway?”
“It is nothing personal, I’m a wolf.”
The cow was drawn upside down. I then highlighted the cow using charcoal pencil and soft pastels.
Lucky 13th volume offering of poems from the Jersey Shore.
— Read on hubpages.com/literature/poems-from-the-Jersey-Shore-vol13-unfinished-works
These are some of my partial poems.
