only 23

The clompy heels of Elle's black shoes were so much higher than mine
but her soft-haired head only came to my chin

I watched as she walked with a sway
the sudden near-falls of every step
forced her hips to announce: "I am woman."

I listened to the pronouncement
and let her pass tiktiktik.

Hours later, I saw her verdant eyes
and half of her smile
as the EMT's lifted her into the ambulance
shoeless.

The sirens wailed her passing when
I grabbed her shoes from the sidewalk

It was almost a year later, not long after I noticed
the first wrinkle below my right eye
and the sides of my beard had started to distinguish me as boy no more,
that I bumped into Elle at Market Basket in the produce section.

She was struggling to reach a grapefruit,
I smiled and helped her

she flickered for a moment between
lettuce and tomatos, steak and chicken
summer and fall

'i shhh new', she slurred
and sighed.

black shoes again, though the heels were shorter
and the bottoms of these were unworn
like the half of her face peeling off towards her lonely little hell

only a creased frown and pink trails showed the path
to where her smile once laid.

her right hand twitched slightly
as she pushed the stick
and her posh ebony chair announced her sweet demise.