kenny and mary

mary is moving to Miami.
she's tapping out.
raising the white flag.
at ninety five, she's
ready to move on. I've known
her for forty years.
all her friends are dead.
her husband long gone.
her blue chairs are worn
and faded.
Hecht's is closed.
so is woodies, and garfinkels.
her white caddy is rusting
in the garage, undriven for
years. it's time, she says.
the building has changed.
I know no one.
I've had enough.
time to move on,
but i'll miss you, and you
must come to visit
once i'm settled in,
once i find my way around.
i'm taking the train, she says.
you know how Kenny and I
loved to ride
the train. I always sat
by the window. he loved me
like that.