Glass'

Glass'

I've seen you once before here
You've served me both times
I've ordered ice tea twice now
You've brought it to me both times
I don't think about you ever.

Why would I?

You walk to my table
Glass in hand.
I'm somewhere else
More over-
With someone else.

My brother jars me back to the table
I should be with them
You hand me my glass
Our fingers graze only
Slightly
On the
Edge of the glass
My pinky to your thumb.

I stiffen up
Everything stiffens up;
Everything.

This really frightens me.

I don't know you.
I never have.
I don't have emotions for you.
I never will.
Not even now.

But I'm Stiff.

It scares me that that
Slight
Touch
Took me so far.

This reminds me
Again
I don't know you.

I'm almost finished-
The ice tes I mean.
There are only the cold embers of ice
In the bottom.

A pessimist would say it was empty
But at the moment
I see a hopeful occurence
In my near future:

Would you like a refill?

Again my brother jars me back to the table
I should be with them
I hand her the promising glass
Our hands grasp seperate ends of the glass
Mine:
Slightly
On the
Edge of the glass
Yours: firm at its base.

I deflate
This promising moment wasted
I built myself up for
Nothing.

This frightens me again.

I don't know you.
But I've made you into something else
Something bigger
Something bigger than you should be.

You've grown.
Like a child.
I just wish I could let you go.
As all parents do.
So simple an attraction.

Here you go.

I am already back at the table
I am with them
You hand me my glass
Again our fingers graze
Slightly
On the
Edge of the glass
My pinky to your thumb.

I inflate
Nothing stiff;
Only a passing moment.

I don't know you.
I never have.
I don't have emotions for you.
I never will.
Not even now.

But I'm stiff.

I know I lied.
But a moment passed.
And like the next
It'll pass again.

-Matthew Koutzun