vinegar and newspaper

i see the neighbor

washing

her windows,

flipping them inside

to reach

the outer panes.

she uses

vinegar and newspaper,

she's old

school, like me.

born in the 50's,

midcentury modern

through and through.

we don't talk

much, but we see life

eye to eye.

i hear her playing old vinyl

on her record

player.

Sinatra and Tony Bennet,

the Platters,

Dean Martin.

she reminds me of Rita

Hayworth

if she had grown older

and not

died at 69.

and i'm sure

she looks at me

and thinks

of Cary Grant, or

Humphrey Bogart.