When You Cry.

Eight hours on the road going in one big circle until we decided to pull over to look at the map again to see whether this Interstate would lead us out of this endless line of cornfields now that the sky was going to get dark and we were hungry for some real food served in nice china and silverware by pretty waitresses in starched uniform smiling end to end bringing you food and wine to say, 'enjoy your food, madam, sir.' And we put on the napkin on the lap to start eating not talking to one another because it was no time to be romantic when you are so hungry that you could eat a whole cattle and a couple of baby goats with chili sauce and french fries.

After a bit of coffee we paid the check to a guy in a suit, walked out of the joint to take in the night air walking hand in hand like a real hubby and missus with real problems.

You were in the bathroom which I thought was pretty strange since it was a jolly good three o'clock in the morning and I thought I heard you cry.

I went over to look at you all messed up, crying for something I couldn't think of a reason why since we had good dinner and all, and I didn't say anything that could hurt a pretty woman like you with words that could get me into a lot of trouble with a woman like you.

I said c'mon back to bed and whatcha crying for? Did I do something that got you this way, like did I say something in my sleep that got you all worked up in tears as if you've just lost your job, or a house, or a car.

Almost an hour later she finally got to talking that we ought to think about what we gonna do with our life now that we are well into the age zone where people die of heart attack, or high cholesterol or a stroke that can pop on you out of the blue. I said I don't want to think about that because I ain't got nothing to look forward to except to live one day at a time and to see where all this is going to go. A question like that is just too much for my small brain to comprehend.

At one point in our life we decide what we want to do, where we want to go, or how we're gonna live. I made the decision long time ago that this is how I'd live since there isn't much to look forward to now that everyone I loved is dead and gone, and they ain't coming back. Although this isn't the kinda life I wanted it to be but I don't control destiny. And since this is the only life I know I reckon I'd better make the most of it and live it like it is meant to be lived. It's a lonely and sad kinda life but I've learnt all I could to deal with it.. And that's the reason why I don't cry like you did in the bathroom this morning which nearly gave me a heart attack. But I guess it was all right for a woman like you to cry over a thing like you said. Besides crying is a woman thing and it ain't the thing man wanna do. Not at three in the morning in the bathroom unless he's got a serious case of stomach pain over something he ate like a whole basket of crabs..

We drove to the airport with the morning sun bright orange on the horizon. I got her hand in mine and she ain't cryin' no more. But when she does, I don't know what to do so I said to her, please don't cry again.

She said, I promise.

I said, that's good enough for me.