My sister spoke for no more than two minutes <br />to her twenty-one year old son <br />from a previous marriage <br />now living in Florida. <br />“He’s gonna kill me, ” she said plopping on the couch. <br />“That boy’s gonna kill me.” <br />“What happened now? ” asked her daughter Annie. <br />“Crying like baby. Ma! Ma! help me! <br />wants to borrow $700 <br />don’t he know I’m down to my last dime already.” <br />“I thought the bankruptcy cleared that up, ” I said. <br />My sister looked at me, amazed <br />at my utter failure to grasp her financial situation. <br />“Of course I told him it was out of the question <br />then he asked if you could lend him the money.” <br />“Me? Well...what for? ” <br />“After Navin’s girlfriend dumped him he was lonely <br />so his father suggested a pet for company <br />next day that lowlife sold his own son <br />a supposedly ‘pure bred’ Pomeranian for $200. <br />Now Navin says Snowflake needs braces.” <br />“Never heard of such a thing, ” I said. <br />“Nobody ever heard of such a thing! ” <br />“Is he serious? ” <br />“The teeth ain’t aligned right, that’s what he told me <br />so Snowflake can’t hardy chew, shrinking away, <br />getting to be skin and bones says Navin.” <br />“The dog’s damaged goods. <br />Tell Navin to demand his money back.” <br />“I told him, I told him, ” my sister sighed wearily. <br />A pause. Deep breathing. Staring hard at me. <br />“He said he couldn’t live <br />through another loss.”<br /><br />Charles Chaim Wax<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/for-the-love-of-snowflake/
