baggage

i once met
a woman who
showed up for
a date carrying
two large and
full suitcases.
a cab dropped
her off in front
of the coffee shop
in the pouring
rain. she was late
and in a hurry,
as the place
was closing down,
and i was waiting.
chairs were going
up onto tables
and the floor was
being mopped by a
tired girl in a green
coffee splattered
smock. my date,
brushed by me,
pointed and said
my name, then bought
a cup of hot
coffee, the last
from a pot. so,
she said, when
she returned,
and set her suitcases
down beside her.
tell me everything,
she said, what's
your story. what
is it about me
that you liked
enough to want to
meet. nothing, i
told her, nothing
really, i made
a mistake, i'm sorry,
and then i left.