True Story

My floor guy, who I really like, 

told me that he met his wife

in 7th grade at the County Fair, 

and they were married 40 years 

before she died of Covid at age 57.  

He’s still not vaccinated, he offered, 

and has caught Covid twice.

He told this to me 

while smoking Marlboros, 

and I was leaning on a pitch fork 

wearing a “Let’s Go Darwin” T-Shirt.

I do not jump to conclusions,

but I also do not always ask.

There’s a reasonably good chance

his wife caught Covid before 

there was a vaccine.

And after two episodes, 

his natural immunity is as strong 

as my vaccine-acquired immunity.

But my wife is alive, and I can still taste

scrambled eggs and good coffee

and he has lost both, so I do not ask.

I like my floor guy.

I do not stir a pot

from which I do not want to drink.