Poetic Justice by Chris Sorrenti

POETIC JUSTICE

it’s been said that women have long memories

and oh how they like to remind us men

but as the saying goes “everything happens for a reason”

and occasionally the equation justifiably works out

in the opposite direction

and so to set the stage for this lesson in life

it was 1976 and at eighteen years old

I was a part-time pack boy at the local A&P supermarket

earning a little pocket money

to get me through my last year of high school

before moving on to what would hopefully be better things

one Friday night while at work

the buzz was all about the big dance

at my alma mater Gloucester High School

Kim Mitchell…at the time front man for an up and coming band

called Max Webster was going to be on stage

minding my own business

this very pretty cashier from another high school

who I’d worked with several times

though had paid me little heed and likewise

was suddenly all over me

flirting to a degree few girls had shown me before

at first I was caught off guard…alarm bells sounding

but teenage hormones being what they are

I was flabbergasted…delighted at the attention

amongst customer check outs

we talked excitedly about going to the dance together

and as one of my buddies had a car

transportation wouldn’t be an issue

at eight o’clock our shift ended

a bunch of us including the cashier and me

making our way to the dance a couple of miles away

my imagination running as to what might happen

in the hours that followed

upon entering the doors to Gloucester

to my complete shock and bewilderment

my date’s pretty smile and warm demeanor

changed to one of cold stone

as without warning she quickly left my side

waving hello to another guy

who had apparently been waiting for her

dumbfounded

I watched as she greeted him with the same affection

she had shown me only moments before

no words could express my disappointment...hurt and anger

least of all embarrassment at having to explain to my friends

what had or hadn’t happened

a lesson in the fairer sex I’d never forget

six years later found me indeed moved on to bigger and better things

well paying employment in the public service

job security and fringe benefits

happily married with child on the way

one Friday night my wife and I

deciding to take in a couple of movies at a local drive-in

and so during intermission as both of us were feeling peckish

I headed over to the confection building

to get us something to eat

I’ve never have a good memory for names

but faces I never forget

and as I walked through the door

upon scanning the room

quickly recognized someone from my past

to my astonishment

there behind the food counter stood that same girl

who had picked me up then dumped me so suddenly

all those years before

dressed in a uniform not unlike the one she wore

in those days at A&P

whether she remembered me I couldn’t tell

a blessing in disguise considering the sudden wave of nausea

come over me…instinctively suggesting I turn around and leave

as the sight of her brought on a flood of unanswered questions

if she had just needed a lift to the dance

then why didn’t she say so in the first place?

rather than the mean charade

she had inflicted upon me without provocation

how many others guys had she hurt between then and now?

or had I been an isolated case?

as I made my way to the front of the line

thankfully to be served by someone else

in-between the pangs of reborn confusion and bitterness

a certain clarity emerged

as I thought to myself

after six years is this all you’ve amounted to?

mixed with dark satisfaction…

“yeah you’re exactly where you belong

working a drive-in cafeteria

serving lukewarm hot dogs to unsuspecting guys”

and realization

as I walked back to the car with a tray full of food

a big smile for my wife and baby to be

in vindication…

“the Lord works in not so mysterious ways”