Fourteen Years

8 July 2008, 8:31 AM
Mike "Mike-u" Jones

I thought I knew him
fourteen years ago. I said goodbye
and stepped away from a final
embrace. I stepped again,
and again, taking each step
for granted until the steps became miles,
the miles became years. Between us
there had been little of hurt,
less of romance, and friendship to spare.
The present became the past
nonetheless, and quite inexorably.
I never thought about it

until the moment he called, said
the person I was then was 18
minutes away on I65, taking exit 113
toward my house. I said he was lucky
I'd answered the phone,
because few people of consequence call
the house instead of my cell.

I wondered if I knew
what a cell phone was, if I knew
a great many things now taken for granted,
when last I saw him. I wonder if I knew
anything, if I really knew him or anyone
I knew for only a moment before we moved on,
took those first steps which led us
to who we are now, who we'll be
in another fourteen years.