[Marlo]
From the left pocket
of his green curling jacket
he gave Kate a coin.
[Kevin]
A gift recently received
stays with me always to help
perceive what I need
to accomplish well to be
a much better me.
[Kate]
What an absolutely marvelous
expression of conscious direction!
So pleasing to hold.
Who told you about these coins?
How fortunate to have that one
by which to mold your life!
[Kevin]
Why are you so strongly keen
to be seen owning these words?
These words contravene
economic sentiments
for wealth procurement.
[Kate]
It all just feels right
like tight fitting shoes
that don’t constrict
but flex when you kick up your heels
to dance and romance
on Saturday nights.
I know less than you
but I’m sure I want to pursue
more.
Thank you for your caring
and your sharing.
[Marlo]
She places the prize
carefully on her left side
besides Kevin’s hand
and shifts position to stand
as Kevin slides it to her.
[Kevin]
Take it; it’s for you.
It’s true that there’s much to learn
and more to discern
from this newly found world view
to pursue its rightful due.
[Marlo]
As players made their exits
conversations too withdrew
subdued energy
from the general verbal
group’s cacophony
of sounds rebounding off walls
from excited friends enthralled
in trivial facts
attached to common events
of small consequence.
Kevin declined to pursue
the drinking that would pursue
in a tight-knit group
that knew Friday nights were spent
without consequence
in unbridled revelry
to be free from referees.
Kevin needs to be
free to leave with Bill Hastings
quickly to achieve
more gentle understanding
by banding with ample souls.
They have been scheduled
to mull over fresh ideas
offered openly
in a formal committee
including Shannon and Bree.
To the locker room
goes Kevin to change his clothes
and it’s not too soon
because Hastings is just now
arrived with a furrowed brow.
[Hastings]
I hope he’s ready.
I’m running a little late.
I’d hate to miss the opening debate.
No worries for Bill.
He won’t even need to park.
Kevin hustled out
with a wave and a loud shout
by the roadside just outside
with gym bag in hand
standing ready to hop in.
Bill hits a button.
Up pops open the trunk’s hood.
As fast as he could, he’s in.
[Hastings]
Good to see your quickness.
Today’s been a series of blockades
that created a mess fueling my distress
requiring a fair amount of delicateness.
How was your game?
[Kevin]
The same as always.
I threw some good stones, burned two,
but a new wonder
under the guise of pure chance
lanced Kate’s executed toss
that revealed my loss.
Between the deer and flower,
I chose the flower.
It was the deer exploited.
The Decision-Making coin
unexpectedly
joined unrelated events
of mundane life spent.
What are the odds of such luck
stuck to unbelievable,
remarkably, strange
to explain, coincidence.
It was clear she knew
nothing to steer her thinking
toward an inkling of grasping
the quiet calling
of all six sides tightly linked
for the complete truth.
Hell, I can’t tell if I knew
well the full manifesto.
[Hastings]
How did she come by Coin?
Purchased from eBay
a couple of days ago
to throw for curling.
The upshot of ‘odd’ ensued
when I sought to prod her more
for her to explore
openly about her quest
to invest money
to obtain such a strange coin
depicting a unique pair
of humans to move the fates
to forsake or love.
The decision-maker failed
and paled against her first choice.
She quietly voiced
her unfulfilled desire
for Joe’s Honor Coin,
but to her painful regret
nothing spent could fill her loss.
She picked the coin toss
as a consolation prize
and revived to strive
to still pursue what she knew
to be true for her to do.
So I gave her mine.
[Hastings]
That was a bold move
for you to do
given that Johnathan gave his to you.
[Kevin]
What else could I do, but yield
to her need to be
what she feels she may become
without succumbing to facts
that others stack high
and wide to hide, to obscure,
other paths to cure
critical systemic ills
immune to all man-made pills?
[Hastings]
Kevin, you are a wonder!
Do you have twenty dollars to surrender
for another copy of the gift given
driven from you by your stiff resolve
to be exactly who you are?
Not far from Brenda’s Dance studio,
where chance has it
that we’re on par to attend
a small convention,
is my office and three spare copies,
one of which averts a mar
on your reputation.
I’d give you mine
but this time we, both,
must present our coins
to join the proceedings.
[Kevin]
It’s been said, often,
without any confusion:
“It must be a gift.”
[Hastings]
Precisely.
Johnathan’s gift
was a thrifty expense
on his part
to start another
on a better path
for all concerned.
All gifts by definition
require acquisition, first,
by the giver of gifts.
Bequeathing yours to another
is never a bother and is favored
and supported with joy.
Such action never annoys.
Therefore owners of Joe’s
Honor Coin of Reciprocity
enjoys the endless possibility
of purchasing replacements,
but those who chose such a path
must understand their hand
in any and all aftermath cast
by unforeseen circumstance.
The gift must be recorded
in the registry that affords
accountability for all to assist
any and all matters remiss
of the coin’s intended bliss.
You need to provide
Kate’s lines of communication.