Evocation #14 Blue (part 2)

Child’s art adorns the wall,
just beyond where you laid your head.
The standup hair a splash of colour,
reminding me of tongues of fire
Dancing always in you...
The breath of life
exuding from your interactions.

The daily trek to coffee shop
was more than liquid currency -
Regularity led to familiarity,
Familiarity led to friendship,
Friendship led to love -
the trek was oftentimes the path
of flowers, dogs and neighbourly chats.
For a time, the cafe was merely
a rest and recovery Stop,
more for the sake of your stick!
How many times did you coach yourself?
Your code name was determination.

Your only complaint was
the need to look down
to check both feet were behaving.
Disappointment turned to discovery
as you came to adopt cracks, crevices,
plants squeezing through the path.
Pups, newborns and old folk
learnt to expect
the kind word of encouragement -
 a blessing for their day or week.
Post office, pharmacy and bank staff
would vie to companion you in business.
Shopping, I learnt to bask in your glory!

The blue served as an invitation:
Welcome. I am a relief from your brown-grey world.
Most effective in waiting rooms,
the non-anxious presence...
you settled staff, family, carers,
asking questions loudly enough
so everyone in the room could
eavesdrop the answers
they longed to receive.
Sometimes, if another squinted,
you’d ask for repeat,
no one missed out with you holding court.

You would start by saying ‘nice nails’ or ‘nice handbag’,
Causing the victim to thank and look at you,
trying to find something reciprocal to approve...
You bought the comments about your coiff
by praying on courtesy.
It worked.
“I do it for Beyond Blue...”
Four or five times in a day
I could listen to you comfort people
in the distress of loss or grief.
You worked at mending so many broken or bruised hearts.

And you broke mine.

(C) A A Koh-Butler, 2019