A Call
I got to the car without the keys
again
damn keys
I’ve been a little stressed
work sucks
I’m there too much
gotta pay bills
then there’s the ex
messing with me all the time
I’m worried about my kids
the stepdad’s mean
I know something’s not right
we need to talk about our children
she won’t talk to me about anything
and she’s gettin’ worse
she calls her lawyer all the time
threatens to sue me
or drag me into court again
how is it a person
who claims to be so much happier
not being married to me
acts so frickin’ miserable
so I went back in the house
the keys were waiting in the obvious place
I grab em’
and and head for the door
when the phone starts ringing
shit
don’t want to answer but
it could be another family medical emergency
that was always a possibility
throughout my life
stuff happened weekly, daily sometimes
I’d feel terrible if I missed something
or maybe as a very outside chance
it was one of my kids
sneaking a call
upset and wanting to talk to me
as had happened frequently lately
I had to answer it
it could be life or death
or at least something important
so I picked up and said hello
YOU SONOFABITCH YOU ASSHOLE YOU FUCKIN’ THINK YOU’RE SO FUCKIN’ SMART FUCK YOU ASSHOLE I’M GONNA FUCKIN’ TEACH YOUR STUPID ASS WHO’S SO FUCKIN’ SMART YOU FUCKIN PRICK NO WONDER AIN”T NO WOMAN EVER WANT YOUR FUCKIN’ ASS AND WHERE”S MY CHILD SUPPORT IT”S LATE AGAIN YOU PIECE OF SHIT ASSHOLE
wow
when she took a breath
I took a chance and said calmly
I always pay child support on time
check the records
it goes to the state
whatever they do after that
has nothing to do with me
so maybe you should call them
I felt like I was talking her down from a ledge
YOU MOTHER FUCKIN’ ASSHOLE YOU DON”T GIVE A FUCKIN’ DAMN ABOUT YOUR KIDS YOU FUCKIN’ WAIT TILL MY LAWYER HEARS ABOUT THIS YOU ARE A PATHETIC PANTYWAIST OF A BULLSHIT HUMAN BEING FUCK YOU ASSHOLE PIECE OF SHIT
and the phone SLAMMED down
I hung up amazed once again
got my bearings
and headed for work
with the wrath
of the happiest woman in the world
ringing in my head
probably for a full day
or until next time
and I never said it out loud
but I thought it
bitch
—DL Madsen