anti-social

by John Grochalski

back in the city of my youth
we drink beer
and he tells me how anti-social i am

it is not enough
to sit here and drink beer
rehash the old times

watch my brother’s legs shake
underneath the table
as we talk about his divorce

we have to discuss my lack of presence as well

i don’t understand this
i mean i think i do all right with people

i’m the only man in the room who’s still married
and i’ve got almost two hundred friends on facebook

some of whom i actually know

i’ll admit that sometimes
humanity just becomes too much for me
and i have to recede into myself
keep finding new and improved ways to disappear

but anti-social?

still he takes a pull on his beer
and tells me as such

he says he calls them as he sees them

only i can’t be mad at him
he’s been taking care of my brother
keeping him on the straight and narrow for a few months

while his divorce moves along
and i play the recluse up in brooklyn
instead of trying to be the good, supportive brother

with a resume like that
he can say what he wants to me
and i’ll sit there and take it

i’ll just smile back at him
nod and take a pull on my own beer

as the conversation turns toward
jobs and women

another old friend of ours

big billy bradley

who owns three liquor stores
has four kids and three ex-wives

a man who’s just too busy these days
to give anyone of us a phone call.