Opening a Dead Man’s Mail
I knew him, years ago.
He asked me out once.
I turned him down.
Too old and not my type.
A few years later, he bought a house
in the neighborhood.
Never lived there. Rented it out.
When he died, his widow sold it.
Today I got a letter
addressed to him at my address.
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
OPEN BY ADDRESSEE ONLY
So I opened it.
(What’s he going to do?
He’s dead.)
It was and investment company
with a low ball offer to buy my house.
Probably sometime, someone
mixed up our addresses.
Or maybe it was from an
alternative reality
where I didn’t turn him down.
7 thoughts on "Opening a Dead Man’s Mail"
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I absolutely love how you take us through this poem, Toni, by nonchalantly providing the facts, then sharing some sass, then taking us from an ordinary envelope containing this letter to the multiverse. Got chills at the end.
Thanks- this was fun to write- true story
Like the subject matter—Isn’t it great when a poem is gifted to you—and you got yours the mail!
That worked out well!
Oh and great title—grabs reader immediately!
Title had me open the poem and delighted I did! I loved the flow of it,
the humor:
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
OPEN BY ADDRESSEE ONLY
So I opened it.
(What’s he going to do?
He’s dead.)
and loved the ending:
Or maybe it was from an
alternative reality
where I didn’t turn him down.
Best one I’ve seen on here. Love the title too!