No panic attack
“I’m sure they sit around and talk about everyone.”
“And the most humiliating part was the superintendent was sitting beside me.” He paused talking but not pacing. “Gay!”
“What did the superintendent say?”
“Nothing, I can only speculate that he was too shocked to say anything.”
Oscar finally sat on the couch, “what did you do?”
“I left.”
“I’m very proud of you.”
He wrinkled his eyebrows. “Why?”
“No panic attack.” She smiled.
“I’ve been too pissed to have a panic attack.” He laid his head on the back of the couch.
“So what are you gonna to do?”
“What can I do?”
“You could file a grievance with the school board. You do have a room full of witnesses.”
“Yeah, but there were other teachers involved than just Cindy. If I get one, I want them all.” He looked at Esther, “let’s go for a walk. I need to get rid of this energy.”
She smiled, “sure.”
This time they went walking toward town. They lived about twenty minutes from the city limits and another fifth teen minutes to the school. Once you got past their property lines, Mr. Cox owned cattle. He was getting along in years but his daughter was interested in keeping up the family tradition that went back to his great grandfather. Past the farm, there was a bridge. Esther sat on the rail of the bridge. The view all around was amazing.
He moved to where he was standing between her legs, “a penny for your thoughts.” He smiled.
“I just can’t get over how beautiful it is here.”
“The last time you were in Kentucky; where were you?”
“Richmond, Lexington area. I know Kentucky has amazing scenery. But I never saw anything like this.” She paused for a moment. “This is just gorgeous and peaceful.”
He put his hands around her waist. “You’ve lost some weight.”
“A little. It’s this diet of yours. We have to keep you from being in pain.” She smiled, and touched his nose with her finger. “If you’re gonna be in pain, at least it should be fun.”
He had to look up to see into her eyes, the way they were positioned, his forehead was at her chin. “How come you never made it down to this part of the state?”
“Too much going on.”
“We might have met sooner.”
“I would wager not. Everyone I knew was either a cop or a criminal.”
He nodded, “good point.”
Poetry & More 
One thought on “Winter Season”