I never questioned his love for me
Even though
He never said the words
That people say

Of course not; why would I?
He’d buy me a Coke and a Skor bar
We’d go for walks
Wearing our business suits

Of course not; why would I?
He’d buy me a satay noodle soup
We’d drive in together
Wearing our business suits

I never questioned his love for me
Even though
He never said the words
That people say

Of course not; why would I?
He changed the oil in my car
He changed the tires on my van
He replaced the screen in my window
He replaced the filter in my furnace
He walked the dog around the block
He wound up the clock
He shined up my shoes

Of course not; why would I?
He listened to my stories
He gave me advice
He asked for advice
I listened to his stories
He read what I wrote
I read what he wrote

One time, he bought me a typewriter.
I used it a lot.

One time, he bought me roller skates.
I used them a little.

One time, he bought me a necklace from Mappins –
Blue topaz, surrounded with gold.
I cried when I lost it.
I cried and I cried.
It was the nicest thing I had owned in my life
Until then.

I dug in behind the back seat of the car
Maybe it was there?
What kind of car was it back then?
I think it was a 1970 Folkswagon,
Not the rusting icky-orange Corolla
The blue Chevy Impala
Or the little red Lada

That caught on fire
That time

(He put it out with his foot.)

I remember that time
We got trapped in the car wash
The doors wouldn’t open

Would we be there
Forever?

Oh well,
At least I wouldn’t be left alone

I never questioned his love for me
Even though
He never said the words
That people say

I remember the time
Everything went wrong
With that cute boy in school
I knew I could confide

I remember the time
Everything went wrong
With that other cute boy in school
I knew I could confide

I remember the time
Everything went wrong
With that man
He waited outside
While I finished the call

Man, that one was bad.

But I lived.
(I hear he didn’t, but I don’t know for sure.)

I remember the times
Everything went wrong
With Laeonie in school
Time after time
She hated me so
But I knew I was loved
Inside and out
Even though

He never said the words
That people say

Essay after essay
Written and corrected
Multiplication
Division
Addition and subtraction
I knew he was
There in my corner

Teachers and profs
Incompetent or mean
We’d take them on
I knew he was
There in my corner

Former-model lawyers
Barbie down the hall
Iaian and Iaian and Iaian again
We’d take them on
I knew he was
There in my corner

Stand back Sting-Ray
I knew
At the end of the day
He was
There in my corner

Tell me
What does it matter
To know
Someone
Has your back?

What does it mean
To know
Someone would never
Stab you like that?

It means
Everything

It means
That you know
It doesn’t matter that

He never said the words
That people say

It’s okay

You don’t mind
You don’t question
You don’t wonder

Of course not; why would I?

Call me crazy
Call me absurd
Call me ugly swollen and slurred

It’s okay

I guess those are the words
That some people say