THE LAST TIME I SAW MY FATHER
He looked small tethered to
the oxygen bottle. Hunched
forward in his old recliner, he
stared out the bedroom window,
no Marlboros in sight.
“I can’t think of anything but that
graveyard. My people are all gone.”
I touched his bony shoulder. “We’re
here with you, Pop.” His head twitched
slightly. “It’s not the same.”