The Separation Three

The Young Woman

The young woman left the apartment

at one-forty, walked to Sheridan Road

where she took the southbound bus

to Devone Avenue,

where she walked

the half block to the ‘El’ station

where she took the ‘Loop’ elevated  to

Randolph Street,

where she walked the two blocks to

LaSalle Street and the County Building.

Each second bringing her closer to the time,

each step bringing her closer to the place,

the young woman’s unbending resolve began

to bend as,

If only he’d…?

If only I’d…?

Compromises for her heretofore uncompromising

reasoning coming to mind,

the young woman became fearful of what

she knew was about to happen,

and because she was about to see her husband

and because truly,

she did not know what her reaction might be when

she did see him,

beads of sweat prickled her hairline

and the palms of her hands became damp.

Arriving at the courthouse twenty minutes early,

expecting to run into her husband at any moment,

she breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator door

opened and she stepped inside.

Coming off the elevator on the fifth floor,

looking about the crowded, dingy hall,

still not seeing her husband,

looking for the courtroom

she walked first in one direction

than the other.

Finding room 508

The young woman sat uncomfortably on the

hard wooden bench outside the courtroom

apprehensively waiting,

watching for her lawyer…

watching for her husband.

To be continued

©November 1, 2011 / Mark M. Lichterman