Eyes. Smiles. Light.
by David LaBounty

thin, pale, blonde,
she was braces on her
teeth and lines in her face

but mostly she was a
credit card and grinding brakes

and there I was,
full price for the
pads and rotors, book
time for the labor
charging to the hour
and the minute for
a twenty minute job
and I had no problem,
taking her credit
card from her
and she told
me as I swiped that
the charge might not
go through because
her teenage son has
lymphoma and she's
been going from clinic
to clinic and there
have been hospital
visits and co-pays
and she's lost track
of bills and due dates
and she really can't
afford the brakes
but she's been
putting a lot
of miles on the
van lately and
she has to keep
going even though
she really doesn't
feel like going
anymore and her
husband should
be the one getting
the van fixed,

and I know husbands,

they never get the vans fixed.

I swiped.

the charge went through

she sighed and smiled
her metallic teeth glowing

and I had to turn away

from that trace of light shining in her eyes.

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