John Lee Clark, Last Night

Last night I dreamed about Lisa my first girlfriend from
second grade

But in the dream I was already a married man and it felt funny
when the little blonde girl hugged me and tugged me to play
with her

I went along

When I got home my wife asked where all day do what you

I told her

She asked girl know you married now

I shook my head

She said go back tell her

I said you right

When I didn’t move she took me by the hand and marched me
back to that school

The sweet girl was excited to see me again but her face cloud-
ed over when she saw my wife

She wrinkled her nose and said who that

I said my wife name Adrean name sign neat neat

My wife smiled and said hello

But Lisa’s face was red and she said John MY John only one
nice me

Next thing I knew we three were in the teachers’ lounge and
Lisa and Adrean were already talking

Lisa was telling her how unhappy she was

Adrean nodded and told her stories about her own childhood
how she had run away and almost killed herself and begged
her mother to let her go to the deaf school

Lisa was rapt and her hair turned a little orange a little fritzy
struggling to be red and curly like my wife’s hair

When Adrean was done Lisa turned to me and said wow your
wife neat

I smiled and said that why her name sign neat neat

When we hugged Lisa goodbye we said to her stay strong OK

Lisa smiled and nodded

We felt bad leaving that sweet girl and all the way home we
kept saying to each other hope she will OK