Ribbons & toes

 

For the Christmas of

my sixteenth year,

I wanted one thing over all else.

It was my most brilliant idea, too.

***

So much so, I went straight to

the place of my parents work,

and bounding in,

immediately declared that

I wanted a new car for Christmas.

***

My dad and mom both stopped working,

and looked over at me.

My mom put down her coal shovel.

***

“Why do you think you deserve a new car?” My mom asked.

***

“Well, I said, thoughtfully,

“all of my friends have new cars.”

***

But my mom was clever and

prepared for such an answer.

“If all of your friends

were to jump off a bridge,” she asked,

“would you?”

***

“No.” I replied.

***

“All right,” she said.

“But would you for a new car?”

***

PART II

***

That Christmas morning

I awoke to find a long