I saw her today

i saw her today
so pretty
so happy
"i love your hair"
i say to her in line at Trader's

off to coffee, for me
and guess what?
off to coffee, for her
for there she was again
(ooh, maybe we can talk)
hee hee

got her coffee
and i got my coffee
and now we're both
by the coffee stuff

"how long have you had hair short?
it's so beautiful"
--there's a man in our middle who giggles
the way that men always giggle
when women talk Women

"oh, i've had chemo so many times
that i like to keep it short now"
just so pretty
so very pretty
i ask, "was the last time a long time ago?"
she says, "hmm, my daughter was ...right, it was 15 years ago."
were the times related?
"not really actually," she says

she grew up in southeast Asia
exposed to bad stuff
and she and her 2 sisters got cancer varieties
part of NIH studies
she likes to talk about this
this is very good for her
so happy
so lucky

so this is who she is
"Life is Good," the bumper sticker, right?
well, i met the one behind it all

sunshine in a person
a little lift as she walks
white hair so pure and healthy
the lines on her face were joy
"life is so good"
she says
"i'm gonna be a grandma soon"

i swear to you
there was a --- swoosh
as she left the store

believe me or not
but i had that same feeling
i imagine that little boy
felt as he saw
Superman lift right up in front of his eyes

i saw her today -
life is good!

annick

Those Sneaker Thingies

i so want to do this,
i try to run often
park at the gardens
and run.

last year, i did my first 5K,
so cool.
MCRRC - Montgomery County Roadrunners Club -
nice people,
all encouraging.

and 34 was last years time.
ok, that was so last years time -
i can beat that.

shoot, but this week,
a bit sick,
coughing and shniffling.
i don't think it's good..
and all my friends all have their reasons
why they can't,
boo!

ok, but i wanna,
i do wanna.
so i wake up,
do what i gotta
and didn't get lost

and there i was,
gonna do it.

then still doing it,
but chest is not so happy
breathing not so good
hafta walk a bit

but i wanna, i wanna
oh there's that couple
i can beat them?
i can pass them.

"YOU CAN DO IT"
(hay, who's that?)
guys call out
i love those guys
who are they?
water
clapping
so nice
whoever you are

at 2 miles
not so great
oh well but gonna finish

there's the finish line
that big clock -
and there's --- 36 mins!
uch uch uch!!
;-(

fine fine fine!!

i still wanna finish
oh well
just a little bit proud,
a bit ..
but mostly bummed
and breathing too hard
close to 37, uch
but i finished

so sluggish

but there's Mike over there
we started together
"so bummed, Mike
close to 37 mins."
:-(

"not possible"
says Mike.
he finished at 34
and he was after me
huh?

but the big clock?
i saw the 37?
not my time?
oh.
that *little thingie* on my sneaks
has my time?
found the posting
32 mins 54 secs -
hay, no way!

2 sec ago,
felt so ick
now, much better ;-)
that's nuts!

turns out
everyone knows
about those *sneaker thingies*
and now i know too ..,
until i forget

so,
from sluggish to leaping
so cool

happy for me?
i know you are
"annick, be happy for annick"
and i am
so cool.