It all started with intimidation;
me for your intellectyou for my presence,
but quickly moved into kindness;
me because I am
you because you couldn’t be
unkind.
The brushes of contact came gently,
by and large
an event here,
an after party there
grace and decorum alongside
liking one another,
finding merit in the other’s aspect
in spite of the initial expectation
we wouldn’t.
Late winter brought about
an unforeseen chill which rivaledthe bleak, stark, frozen season.
A frost settled in
creating hypocrisy
overlaid with an icy decorum.
Battles fought in the wake of
that winter day
rivaled nuclear explosions
and the seemingly poster perfect pair
crumbled
unsupported on our faulty foundation.
The anger, blame, and vitriol
launched at you from the privacy of my
silence
was undeserved.
You were an easy target
much like a gentle kid
separated from the safety of the flock.
I blamed you because I could not
blame my lover
without leaving…
I wasn’t quite ready to leave.
Yet.
Time passed,
the assaults on my characterremained much like
a giant, purple elephant
in the middle of our
public-perfect, private hell.
Ultimately, our end was unceremonious,
but an ending all the same.
Ohhh, how thankful I am for that end
for it opened the door
for a beginning;
a simple yet sincere apology.
a Bourbon infused fledgling friendship,
a caring albeit pushy mutual friend who tipped the scale,
a rained out baseball game,
a beginning.
“I didn’t see you coming,”
I often say
for I didn’t.
In fact, I’d venture,
you are the last person
I would have expected
and yet here I am
embracing your presence,
embracing you.
~ Mk Michaels, 2015
