the time when I found out about patsy
she called me up one o’clock one morning and said
would I come check on her frigerator
something’s gone
wrong she said
and i said what the hell pat what do i know about a fridge
but then she started crying
so i got dressed and drove over there
to take a look
and the inside of it was warm as a body and dripping sweat
might be the thermostat
i said maybe the motor but then i noticed the food
open cans and bottles way out of date and all moldy like
and i said my god pat
don’t tell me you’ve been eating this stuff
and she put her hands
in her lap and looked off out the window
with her lip trembling and she said i talk to myself and i tell myself
it’s all right now
you’ll see
jimmy’s coming to fix it and we’ll be just fine just like always
JAMES LINEBERGER is a retired screenwriter. His poetry has appeared in Boulevard; The Cortland Review; UCity Review; Main Street Rag; Pembroke Magazine; UCity Review; Slipstream; and New Ohio Review.