The Best

By Cliff Lake

 

The Best

 

It was a birthday and there were presents.

“The best is yet to come”, they said,

And he waited.

There were more birthdays,

And he got older.

“The best is yet to come.”, they said.

And so he went to school,

Then he went to work.

“The best is yet to come.” they said,

So, he worked.

He met a woman and fell in love.

“The best is yet to come.”, she said,

And they got married.

They had children and society approved.

“They best is yet to come.”, he was told,

And his wife started fucking the neighbor.

He caught her and they went to counseling.

“The best is yet to come.”, said the therapist.

And he waited.

His oldest discovered opiates in school,

He went to rehab instead of college.

Later he became a counselor for troubled youth.

The youngest got a girl pregnant and got a job.

They separated after a year because of her drinking.

Grandpa and grandma are raising the child.

“The best is yet to come.” they tell her.

Grandpa had a heart attack at 50.

His wife spends a lot of time at the neighbor’s.

He watches television.

A politician makes promises.

“The best is yet to come.”, say the candidate.

Grandpa doesn’t believe him.

His granddaughter crawls in his lap for a nap.

He wonders if this what they meant all along.

It’s good enough.

It is good enough.

 

Cliff Lake 3/16/2023

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2023

 

Location: Dalton, MA, USA

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