parallel parking

once at the very
end of our marriage,
hanging on by
the slenderest of
threads, when she
was parallel
parking in a
rainstorm and during
the first fifteen
minutes, with
traffic backing
up and honking
behind us. i
asked her if
she wanted me
to take the wheel
and give it a
shot, and she
said, no freaking
way as she
began to cry, her
makeup running
down her face.
i can do this
she said, and tried
and tried and
tried, until
we ran out of
gas and had to
push it in.