The Gate

My pal Jackie who is 83 and mows her own lawn and always has bright red lipstick on while she's outside, shares a waist high white picket fence with her neighbor Gerry. "He put in a gate in case I ever need him," she explained.

 Gerry told me he loves rain because when he was in Viet Nam, that's when all of the fighting stopped. He also loves Louise Gluck poems and many other poets. Now I want to hear Gerry read his favorite poems aloud but I am too shy to ask.

Maybe he will fall in love with Jackie since they are both unmarried although she seems like she would not have patience for poetry.