AFTER TEA WITH BENNY 1969

A GIRL AND HER PARENTS AFTER HAVING TEA WITH HE RBOYFRIEND IN 1969

After tea
and much talk
Benny left
and went home.

Sophia
hadn't had
one moment
to see him
on his own
during tea
or after,
just saw him,
sat near him,
talk with him
a little bit
(her father
hogging most
of the talk
with Benny)
and even
the goodbye
kiss was seen
by her dad
standing there.

What you think?
Sophia
asked her dad
in Polish
(always spoke
Polish while
in the home).

He's all right,
seems sincere,
Catholic,
good morals,
secure job.

(All the while
Sophia
was thinking
of Benny,
what they did
the last time
he came there,
in her bed,
the parents
were not there,
how Benny
had made love,
more than once.)

Your mother,
her dad said,
is unsure
if he earns
sufficient
to keep you
in the style
that you like,
but if you
are in love
with this boy,
and can wait
for marriage
before sex,
then you have
my blessing.

Her mother
just nodded.

Sophia
smiled sweetly,
pushed all thoughts
of her sex
with Benny
from her mind,
the hot rut
the last time
held at bay,
said goodnight,
went to bed,
and dreamed of
a rather
different
end of day.