13 voice messages

i forgot about for a few weeks,
and standing in the morning window light sun
i dial the number
and listen to them
one by one

3 hang ups
3 from the blogger girl..
bubbles and smiles
1 from a missed appointment
1 from a missed party across town
1 from an old friend that calls me 'puddin' pop'

1 of p's little friends, breathy and too close to the reciever
1 automated loan computer
and
1 that sounded like it came from outerspace with lots of
white noise and distored voices

all of these I delete from the phone.

and then there is
1 from her

talking low
from a shielded reciever
at work..she says..
and it takes her
more than a few minutes to explain
coffee
and catching up
i can hear smiles..
as i listen i watch
the lazy cat from the apartment across the street
stretch and yawn
like the crazy
ball in my stomach
when i hear her voice

still

i push the number 9
and the robot voice says
my message will be saved
for 14 days.

and it is with great trepidation
i'll probably listen to it
for the next 14 days

and keep unraveling
the stray cat
in my heart
that she somehow happened
to leave behind.