Wingman

Don’t worry, Tommy, she’ll be back. Look out the window. Rain. See, she left her umbrella.

You’re doing fine. Being a dermatologist is great, but get off the technical stuff about Botox. She may have no interest. And even if she does, she doesn’t want you to know about it. Watch her. Did you see her lean back, look around, sip her drink?

Talk about her, about Kendra.

Whatever you do, don’t mention the funeral. I know this is awkward for you, but it’s been more than a year. You can do this.

Did you see her Lexus key chain? The ASPCA tag? Look, here she comes, just like I said. She’s looking at you right now. Don’t look at me! Pay attention to her. Let her set the pace.

I gotta go now. Taking my Gracie to dinner for our 26th. She said to give you a good luck smooch. How about a hug instead? Why don’t you call me when you can. Whenever is fine. Just call me.

You can loosen your tie, you know.

 

Jeff Santosuosso is a business consultant and award-winning poet living in Pensacola, FL. His chap book, “Body of Water,” is available through Clare Songbirds Publishing House. He is Editor-in-Chief of panoplyzine.com, an online journal of poetry and short prose. Jeff’s work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in The Comstock Review, San Pedro River Review, South Florida Poetry Journal, Mojave River Review, The Lake (UK), The Blue Nib, Red Fez, Texas Poetry Calendar, Avocet, and other online and print publications.