7:11

staring at the clock
one morning
it was 7:11

my parents met at a
7-11 convenience store
he was 24
she only 18
my dad traveled to
the great state of misery
to marry another
upon his arrival, she left him
he was lost, nowhere to go
he could have returned home
but he did not
instead, after four years in the navy
he spent his nights managing
that 7-11

my mother was a free spirit
raised in a home
full of love and madness
she was the youngest of four children
and spent most of her days
alone, dreaming and escaping
she secretly craved normality
my dad?
normal could be his middle name

she worked at mcdonald's
across the street from the 7-11
she purchased her pantyhose
required to be worn at her job,
at his store.
she would flirt, she came on strong
begging him for dates
he turned her down over and over
her beauty and uninhibitedness
intimidated him
he thought she was too young
she says to him,
if i can get your friend, of equal age
to take me to dinner, will you?
he says, ok
of course she went on that date
with the friend
and of course my father kept his promise

it was halloween night, their first date
and six weeks later
one cold december evening
they were married in a church
with no heat
she wearing a short skirt
and he wearing a yellow tie

thirty-five years later
their love is strong
they laugh together
they cry together
when they look into each other's eyes
it is as if it is for the first time

and, that morning,
as i closed my eyes at 7:11
i thought of my parents
their love
their warmth
their patience
their attempts at
understanding me
and i smiled