Busman’s Holiday?

Every once in a while

while we walk around

the block which houses

one daughter’s fave sushi

place until boy’s miso soup

plus two cucumber rolls arrive

toddler grandson becomes a bit

indoctrinated into what’d before

he was born been ur-central to life

befriending well as offering medical

care to local strip mall’s folks without

homes right there where some pitch tents.

Now don’t get any impression that Coachie

as all six grandchildren call me is promiscuous

in such adventures because if I were and trouble

ensued, Gerry could lose his rights to free-range

it since our wary kids might more’n wince – they or

their spouses’d restrict many of Ger’s roaming rights.

In any case today I take a chance to engage an old man

waiting at a red traffic light to cross the big intersection

at El Camino Real/ Whipple boulevards in Redwood City.

Almost toothless, metal cane in right hand, tattered backpack

up against double Jesus-length hair; his smile is full-on twinkle.

Holding Liav’s fingers tight, I ask dude, How goes on mean streets?

Pronto he seems to grok I am not afraid perhaps even benignly engaged

so responds, Hey, Man, after 78 years alive often trying to scrape though

Chicago winters, maybe Phoenix summers, here in Northern California’s okay.

When I press about, Whether all is good in good weather, if you’ve health issues

or drug or mental problems?; James sighs then replies, Ain’t too bad since cannabis

declared legal. Instead of mum, I enjoin, Yessir, nearly 74 myself, THC can be a tonic.

Conveniently cell texts from inside the restaurant give several excuses to begin to leave.

When I suggest, If you hang for about a half-hour I’ll bring out a bunch of leftover food,

he declines though pauses in a familiar style ‘til I slip him tons of loose change otherwise

would be used for municipal bus trips with progeny. As we start to wave a series of 3-way 

vigorous good-byes to each other, the signal turning green, Liavy continues to say Bye-bye

but won’t move for several minutes until James makes it clear to the other side, disappears.