we talked about the heat.
we talked about the pattern on my skirt.
we talked about jazz.
we talked about why he walks with a cane and why i was
using an inhaler.

and then he told me.

he had recently lost the love of his life.
he could barely speak, and thick tears found their way
down his wrinkled skin.

"im just so lonely..and we used to sit on this very bench."

i took his old hand and held it.

we sat quietly. nothing more needed to be said.

as we got up to go,
he said to me,

"you saved me tonight."

and as he walked hobbly down the street
i ditched into an alley and cried my eyes out.
i wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home.