road trip

you talk to your father
to tell him about the chaos
going on at home.
he laughs and laughs
and says
that it doesn't surprise him.
I can almost see him shaking his
head, rolling his eyes.
so when are you coming
down again,
he says.
we'll fire up the grill,
do the pool.
watch the game.
it might be nice to get away.
he says,
then he tells me
a joke, one I've heard before,
the one about the blonde
locked in her car,
without the key.
but hey, it's still
funny.