Hey! Give Me a Chance

Happening down a million streets.

Hey! Give Me a Chance…

I’ve been living here for 10 years;
my lawns are manicured like a groomed new dog,
my flowers bloom with smiles in the petals,
I just finished painting my picket fence
in a white fit for the Virgin Mary in my church.
I take the children to school on time
and before I lost my job collected them safely
from the sidewalk.
I can’t pay my mortgage fee this month.
I paid for long months after months.
Our mouths watered for food
and saliva stained my shirt whilst I trimmed
the hedge. The hedge is doing well.
All my neighbors say I am a model for the area.
I don’t smile so much anymore. No one can see
inside my heart so I guess I’m safe,
that is until the bank man came along
and told me, “Pay or you’re out.”
He must have heard the baby crying;
must have heard my wife whimpering as she cuddled the dog;
must have heard that we have no TV
nor wireless, nor cell phone, nor phone.
he must have seen my red face sweating;
must have felt the sweat in my palms
if only he had shaken my hand like a gentleman
but I guess a leper has a better chance to have that privilege.
Won’t you come inside and see my ceilings
painted with the monies you gave me.
Paint everything you said; value goes up.
Then that easy money for new bathrooms.
We’re clean I said and you said Go for it!
We’ve had no electricity for months now.
I promised I would pay you. We only eat half meals.
Please don’t send the sheriff. I don’t want to be ejected,
pulled by the ear like a naughty school boy
in front of all my friends in the open.
I’ll smile. We will all smile and go out in class.
We’ve been living here for ten years. Ten years.
Hey! PLEASE give us a chance.

Story ID:	4505
Written by:	Martin Steele (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Poem
Location:	Delray Beach USA
Year:	2008