The Crucible

By Christie M. Buchovecky

An old friend messaged today.
Told me “Got a funny story
if ya have time . . .” and sent a clip:
riding by an old Colonial I recognized,
despite a view obscured by rain
and the barred windows
he’d had to film behind.

“Nothing like riding
down your old street
in the back of a police car”

I made time. Clawed it back
from meetings, spreadsheets, VIPs.
You must for someone who
made a kinder home of your heart.

Our bond was forged twenty years ago,
tempered in apparent contradiction.
Honors Student / Future Tradesman,
Class President / Class Clown,
Teachers’ pet / Boy given detention
just for walking down the hall
with a traffic cone
on his head.

“Was in town for a job;
stopped by to thank our science teacher.
Her class made me a better welder.
Hoped to tell her that now
I teach students like me – make them see
how working with your hands
doesn’t mean you are stupid.”

I always knew he was smart. He knew
I wished being smart didn’t matter
as much as being kind.

“She wasn’t there, but that admin guy
who used to file my detention slips?
Yeah . . . he’s principal now. Lectured me
for not knowing to sign in, then
had me arrested for trespass.”

Funny, how some things never change.

The last time I went back,
administration offered me cake.

A geneticist in New York City, Christie M Buchovecky devotes her days to finding answers for families caught in the diagnostic odyssey. In the evenings, she can be found either enjoying excellent food and ridiculous games with friends or curled up on the couch with her husband and cats (notebook in hand). Ever curious about the world and our place in it, Christie turns to poetry to examine truths we hold within ourselves. Previous work can be found in Humana Obscura and on Instagram @cm.buchovecky.

Photo credit: Fabrice Florin via a Creative Commons license.

A note from Writers Resist

Thank you for reading! If you appreciate creative resistance and would like to support it, you can make a small, medium or large donation to Writers Resist from our Give a Sawbuck page.