the unemployment line

in the dead of winter,

we went

down

to the red brick building

in Bladensburg

to sign

up for unemployment

benefits.

seventy-nine

dollars

a week.

we stood in line,

John and I,

hands in our pockets,

stamping our

feet.

we never talked about

what's next.

there was

always another job

in the paper

that we circled

after a weeks rest.

somehow

we managed to land

on our feet.

find something to pay

the bills.

we'd go our separate ways,

get married, have kids.

make the most of it.

he's buried not far

from the old building

where we used

to stand in line.

i can hear him laughing,

as we moved

along, the snow falling down,

flakes of white

in his beard,

still carefree

and young.