he hit the lottery with his trad wife

my neighbor,

the old neighbor, back in the cookie

cutter vinyl sided

townhouses,

in shades of pale blue

and grey,

where

i lived for ten years

was in like Flint

as they say.

it was where my son was raised

and where i started a business.

at the time i was

working

on soul mate number four

or five, but

Jim,

the neighbor was living

on easy street.

he had the trad wife

that he met in high school.

one and done.

he enjoyed

the six o'clock meal every

night.

his clothes were washed

and folded,

she bought his underwear

and socks

having memorized his size.

his pants and shoes too.

she even trimmed his hair

and combed out

his eyebrows

and mustache with a little comb.

the oven and the washing machine

were both a mystery to him,

things he never used.

i don't think he was ever

in a Sears and Roebuck's,

or a Kroger's his entire life.

sometimes i'd see him holding

his wife's hand

when out for a walk.

they went to church together

and i suspect

they even had sex on occasion.

he used to laugh at me

when he saw me carrying

in a bag of groceries

so that i could cook my dinner,

or hanging my wet clothes

on the line.

he'd wave happily as i unloaded

the car, 

unshaven and tired.