the cost of asphalt;

Two older gentlemen had been sitting

and talking within ear shot. At moments I

could make out pieces of their conversation.

The wives were fine, the coffee was good,

and retirement resembled an industry, with

wave after wave of improvements on the

home, and sustaining elements for the

individual. Life appeared to have treated

these men well—they earned, saved, took

care of their health. Maybe trimmed

themselves with the occasional poesy.

­

[They hop from topic to topic—from

events to people to planned renovations—

they’re now discussing the driveway]:

­

“Just planning on doing a little resurfacing.”

In some way aren’t we all?

“Let me reach out to a buddy of mine, Tom.

If you’re just planning on resurfacing, my

guess is that it shouldn’t run you more than

$9 per square foot, including labor.”

It helps to know a guy—

this is how men massage men.

­

Two tables down sits the teacher. I’ve seen

him here a few times now, slipping in for

an hour or two, at times grading papers,

other times reading or clamoring away

at the computer. His shirt says:

Spelling is challenging difficult hard.

I’ll bet he knows a thing or two about

the cost… the cost of operating the paver—

leveling the bumps and projections,

working sediment to shape; creating and

tending to the walkable surface that splits

all of our weight until we’re cast out

beyond the edges. Yeah, I’ll bet he knows

more than you’d think.

­

And I hope life treats him well.

I hope he earns, saves, and takes care

of his health. Maybe trims himself

with the occasional poesy.

Today I found him affixed to F. Scott—

this is how man massages mind.

It made me smile as I went back to my

own reading.

I’ll never forget any of these men.

And certainly not the cost of asphalt.