ROCK ON
Once in the backyard
of an Austin coffeehouse
a small child
I’d not seen before
strolled over and
wordlessly extended
a fisted
chubby hand
palm side down
in what I instantly recognized
to be the international
Little Kid Symbol for
Put out your hand
I reached out my hand
Open
wrinkled palm up
he released his gift
seven bits of gravel
excavated from just beneath
his feet
I do believe I gasped
at
those tiny shiny rocks
and drank their polish in
before tucking them into
the pocket of
the ridiculous vest I was wearing
so I could rediscover the feeling again
Later
(much much later
given how rarely
I wore that vest)
The kid
less sentimental
toddled on