fixing things

those men.
men of whiskey and cigarettes.
they were different then.
fixing things.
pulling tubes out of the backs
of televisions.
leaning under
the hood of their cars,
their thick hands working
on a greasy engine.
saying things like
try it now.
give it gas.
they could fix everything,
the lawn mower
that sputtered, the hinge
on the door.
the leaks, the drips.
broken windows.
they could fix everything,
almost, but who
they were.