The family goes on its regular date,
this time to a thrift shop
out of the neighborhood.
Dad gives each child a dollar bill,
says spend wisely. Mom heads toward
the shelves of household items,
fingers the waffle iron, sees the frayed cord,
moves on. She laughs over lava lamp memories,
chooses an intact game of Monopoly.
Dad and son gravitate to guy things.
The dollar bill goes at once to a samurai sword
with enough left over for the lone boxing glove –
he might luck onto its mate. Dad hefts
the bowling ball, decides it might do. Little sister
falls in love with a rubber ducky in hockey clothes.
At the register she solemnly hands
her change back to Daddy. Each happy
with the results of the spree they top off
the celebration with ice cream cones.
About the Author: Patricia Wellingham-Jones
Patricia Wellingham-Jones is a widely published former psychology researcher and writer/editor. She has a special interest in healing writing, with poems recently in The Widow’s Handbook (Kent State University Press). Chapbooks include Don’t Turn Away: poems about breast cancer, End-Cycle: poems about caregiving, Apple Blossoms at Eye Level, Voices on the Land and Hormone Stew.