Beautiful Stranger Oh
Linda
knocked
car door, ready for departure, your small hand
the
e
clos
to
e
rag
cou
ugh
eno
d
ecte
coll
had
I
n
Just whe
you were capable of.
the window – more boldly than what I thought
on my side of
…”
“You’re beautiful! I want to go home with you
my tan and sweaty palms over
Sophia, this was you, crying out to me, holding
make sure I heard what you said.
And let me tell you, not only my ears, but also
the car window, enunciating every word to
my heart heard you.
not from the reek of the stagnant sewage, not from
,
ters
roos
ge
villa
r
you
of
crow
the
from
Not
I still remember the frustration.
Indonesia, but from the lack of words I
of
idity
hum
eit
enh
fahr
ree
deg
97
the
in
ving
the constant buzzing of mosquitos thri
in your heart to mend your future times
d
rave
eng
be
to
ds
wor
d,
foun
pro
ng
ethi
som
ing – forget
produced. I knew I needed to respond with
couldn’t; the lump in my throat kept me from say
I
But
e).
com
ly
sure
ld
wou
they
w
kne
I
se
of hopelessness (becau
e.
profound – just anything of the English languag
smudging my mascara, eyeliner, and whatevks,
chee
my
n
dow
bled
tum
s
tear
of
ds
bea
ds,
Replacing what would have been wor
er else was caked onto my face.
The car jolted and your hand was forced to be
left behind, never to be held again.
ld I be so sure that we’ll never meet
and in such a “small world” why wou
“It’s a small world,” reads an over-used line,
again?
Though you never told me, Isaac did:
minent than graduating middle school. That
pro
e
mor
are
tion
stitu
pro
and
n
ictio
add
g
dru
That you are from a village where
s, purchased by rich white men looking
bar
at
king
wor
by
g
livin
r
thei
earn
rs
hbo
neig
.
your mother, sister, and some of your slum
go down the same, unpaved road as everyone else
will
you
s,
nge
cha
ing
noth
if
at
Th
ing.
crav
to satisfy one night’s
I couldn’t take you home with me.
70