Service Department, Dutch’s Ford, Mt. Sterling
I have some strong opinions
sitting in the waiting room
of Dutch Ford while
my truck tires get rotated
and I pour the sludge
the mechanics call coffee
into a Styrofoam cup
and add powdered creamer.
There’s a woman about my age
who wants to eat hearty, delicious dinners
and find seven simple ways
to bring summer beauty inside
and find some lush new looks for the patio
and to plant some no-fail fall bulbs
and maybe get some baby goats.
There’s a high school couple here
at 7 am, she’s made up and perfumed
he’s clean like it’s Friday night
And he’s teasing, and she says
Stop it, Danny. Stop, I mean it.
But she doesn’t mean it, and we all know it
Because she leans in and touches his arm
Because her contour is doing its job
There’s a mechanic with no ass who wanders in
sunburned, jingling quarters in his hand
talks to the vending machine -powdered donuts
honey buns, toast chee sandwich crackers-
lean-rolling back to look at the bottom
of the dusty racks, what is expired there
skeptical, but oddly hopeful
he will find his future in C5
And I sit here, having connected
to the guest wifi, having wasted my June
again, with only four poems, when
I had such good intentions,
so many strong opinions, those opinions
so strong, they make me weak
and I realize: the hill I will die on is
covered in sawmill gravy.
7 thoughts on "Service Department, Dutch’s Ford, Mt. Sterling"
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Hey, you posted enough to make it in the anthology. Congrats. I love of the everyday feel of this poem and the way it ends. Your descriptions are fantastic. Thank for the chuckles. I love it that we can make poems out of Styrofoam cups and vending machine powdered donuts.
Perfect description of every service department I’ve ever been in! Love the people watching – there is a story to each one. (“and maybe get some baby goats” – priceless!)
I can so hear you reading this. This is great, wonderful details and depictions.
This is such a strong, creative, well-crafted poem. The whole thing is excellent, but I have some favorite gems:
But she doesn’t mean it, and we all know it
Because she leans in and touches his arm
Because her contour is doing its job
AND
he will find his future in C5
AND
the hill I will die on is
covered in sawmill gravy.
As for supposedly not writing enough poems this June, you’ve obviously gone for quality over quantity. Thank you for this wonderful, relateable poem.
Delightful, Liz! Stanzas 3 and 4 are perfection.
A delicious poem! Agree with all the comments before me.
Love the choice of details you use to invite us into the waiting room filled with marvelous energy of folks.
And, wow, in so little words I see and hear so much…”There’s a mechanic with no ass who wanders in/sunburned, jingling quarters in his hand
I love this piece, Liz. It’s so precise and the end is pitch-perfect.