CONSIDERED CRIME 1969

A BOY AND GIRL AND HER ROWING PARENTS IN 1969

Sophia's father
walks and rows in Polish;
his wife gesturing
with her hands
argues back.

Sophia sits on the sofa
next to Benny
who has been asked
to come again.

The Polish words
fill the room.

Benny wonders
what the words mean.

He grabs at them
but they are like
enigmas to him.

The mother walks back
to the kitchen.

The father sighs
and stares
at the kitchen door
as if it had offended him.

Should Benny leave?
Sophia asks in Polish.

Benny gazes at Sophia
as the foreign words come.

No no,
the father says
eyeing his daughter
then Benny
who looks at them both.

If I say he can come
then he comes,
the father says
again in Polish,
your mother is suspicious
of young men;
I tell her
he is all right.

Everything all right?
Benny says to Sophia.

Yes it is all right,
she says.

Yes it all right,
the father says,
giving a hint of a smile;
his moustache
moving slightly.

The father goes
to the kitchen
and closes the door.

Sophia looks at Benny:
Mother is funny
when young men come;
she not trust them
Sophia says.

O I see,
Benny says,
looking at the face
of the girl beside him;
wanting to kiss her,
but sure whether
it would be wise
at that moment in time,
in case the parents saw him
which they might
consider a crime.

Reviews

[Tony Jordan]

Oh f**k there would be ructions (I think that's an old Belfast word for mayhem) if he kissed her at that moment and he's a wee risk-taker for even countenancing it - I love Benny. He's got the toys of a man.
Magical writing TC.

[Terry Collett]

Thank you, Tony. Have a nice day

[Tony Jordan]

You too Tel. Enjoy your weekend my friend.