the disappearing act

he was a people

person,

the glad hand on

your back,

the smile,

the joke,

the small talk.

he had an enormous

circle of

friends,

real and imaginary.

he had money.

he had charisma

and a shiny

car.

a shiny wife,

shiny children.

he was the golden child

from the start.

but all of it

a prison.

then he disappeared,

and we never

knew

the reason.