The Story of Three Calls

Wolf calls Red.
on a public line in Marylebone?
No.
on the green concourse's courtesy phone?
No.
on her cell?
Yes.
Lunch, lunch, lunch, says Wolf,
but he slavers so.
Can't, says Red.
To Grandmother's house I go.
old
old
old
Grandma sittin' there in bed
babushka tied around her head
Maybe live,
maybe dead.
knock
knock
knock
Must be Red.

Red calls Wolf.
via singing telegram?
No.
via Western Union candygram?
No.
with the iphone in her hot little hand?
Yes.
Baby, baby, baby, says Red
wish I were with you instead.
tick
tock
tick
tock
Red stay with Gram til half of four
then Gram fall over on the floor
so Red get up
and out the door.
wait
wait
wait
ain't no bus til half of eight.

Red calls Wolf.
do she call him King? Khan? Shah?
No.
do she call him Golden Ra?
No.
do she call him late for dinner?
Never.
She sing oh, oh, oh,
I got the blues, Wolf, please believe me
Everybody I love, up and leave me.
sniff
sniff
sniff
It'll be all right.
kiss
kiss
kiss
Do Red stay the night?
who knows...
She turned her phone off. 

______

for Real Toads. Co-written with Coal Black.