Chapter 51:

LI | Picnic

The Rowan Tree


Today

is going to be

a bad day.

It's Sunday afternoon.
I just woke up.

Rowan's been awake for six hours,

gone to church,
eaten both breakfast and lunch,
sat through a sermon,
sang christian karaoke,
smiled at many people.

My mother
is the only person

I've seen so far
(and only her backside),

she was leaving my room
after shaking me awake

saying she won't be
home
tonight.

I close my eyes,
try to go back to sleep

so I don't have to
go for the stupid church picnic.

Why did I agree to it
in the heat of the moment?

So sly.

Rowan is so sly.

My text to Rowan:
I'LL BE LATE.

Her reply:
DON'T BE.
KUMAR'S GOING CUZ HE'S HELPING MY DAD
WITH THE CHICKEN RICE.

I'm not grinning
at my phone
on the train
because of this message.

I'm just stretching

my mouth muscles

because I'll have to make
meet people I don't want to see.

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