she's not a car person

i tell her

that her tires are going flat

and she's missing

a hubcap

or two,

and that

from the look

of the blue

smoke coming out of her

exhaust

she must be burning oil.

and the windshield

is cracked.

there's a strange smell

in the back seat,

dear.

she doesn't seem to notice

any of that.

i'm not a car person,

she tells me.

i just get in and go,

sometimes

i get gas

when the little light

turns yellow on the dash.

oh, and that's

yesterday's tuna salad

in the back.