Have you ever been winked at by a perfect stranger? Then read on.

SHE WINKED AT ME

By John Herlihy

Listen!
Didn’t you see
She winked at me.
At first, I turned away
Wasn’t even looking her way
When of a sudden and in the fray
It was as though I were now in her pay
And she could tell me to do as she wanted
As though I were under her command to be flaunted
Surely there must be something under the hot sun to say
That would make it clear to all that I made no attempt to display
Who would have thought this event could come to such a dull matter
When a sweet, simple, innocent person like myself could turn to butter
Over such a little thing to come to pass as making faces and winking to flatter.

Feeling somewhat undone, I consulted with my friend who is as mad as a hatter
Surely such a mad hatter as he would be able to shed some light on the matter
And when I approached him feeling surprised, he looked deeply, seeming wise
He said: When I was your age I would have thought nothing of the surmise
People just try to be friendly, open and true , even with the likes of you
Relax, take a deep breath and by no means put yourself into a stew
There really is no more to this that you’re making into a brew
But she was taking liberties with me as if I were for free
As though I were nothing but a dumb chickadee
These things don’t matter at all, he said
Don’t take it too personal, Fred
Forget about it and how
Clear your brow
Enter now
Just be
See?

Then . . .
For all the inglorious, insensitive, indecent, impolite things he could have done,

He winked at me.