what? i can't hear you

i hadn't seen my friend jimmy in a while,
so i called him
up.

we decide to meet down by the river
where we can sit

six feet apart and catch up on what's
going on.

he looks tired when he arrives
and sits down. i can tell he's been
drinking again
by the paper bag with a bottle in
that he's carrying.

i say hey. he says what?
i can't hear you.

is that your good ear, i ask
him as i yell
with my hand cupping my mouth.

let's switch seats.
this is my bad ear too.

so we switch, circling around
the bench
to sit down again.

the wind is blowing off the river
and it's cold.
an occasional plane takes off
from the airport nearby.

so what's up, i ask him.
what?
i said what's up.

it's hard to hear with this wind,
he says, then takes a swig
of his bottle.

how's marge?
who?
marge? your wife?

marge? oh yeah, her. it's over.
this lockdown took
care of that.

and you, seeing anyone?
what?
seeing anyone.

no, no one right now.
was seeing my therapist for awhile.
doing that zoom
thing.
but that ended when i asked
her to put on something
more comfortable.
big mistake.

pfffft. women, he says.
can't live with em, can't
kill em.

what?

nothing. never mind.
we stare out to the river for
another few minutes
then go home.

we wave, saying nothing.