gentriphobe in training

The guy 
across the street 
is an asshole.

We have never met, 
but we have connected.

His car is loud, 
his hours odd.

A black Mustang slumbers 
in mid day sun 
sprawled across 
a crumbling grey driveway.

I swear it grumbles and snores. 

At night, 
its every movement 
is percussive, 
window rattling, 
and designed to startle.

His house sits 
at just the right angle 
to let headlights flood 
my house with crooked yellow light,
shouts from their kitchen burst outward
onto the street and across
my lawn.

Something in the tone of 'shhhh' or 
'shut up' ends the ruckus
most times.

Have I ever been noticed, noticing? 

Back lit and slightly obscured 
by the blue spruce on my front lawn- 
I glower from my bedroom window.

The loop I am in is maddening. 

Walk past window, check the neighbour. 
Hear him return, check my watch. 
Check my watch, expect disruption.

I duck under his headlights
as they span through my 
front room. 

Often he closes 
his car windows
one at a time.

Have I been noticed, 
noticing?

My 12 year old 
does shit like this.
They will launch into escalation
to get all eyes on the show, 
never revealing 
the underlying 
need.

There's a detail
in this behaviour
that I obsess over.

Ignoring it worked 
with my kid.

Why I can't do 
the same now 
really bothers me.

I also wonder 
about people that
drive with only 
the back windows
open.  

Same show, 
different performance 
I guess.

The last window closes.

Guns and Roses 
gets pinched
like a cat’s tail 
underfoot. 

Axel lets loose one last
twang up and down
the street. 

‘WhooooAaaahhh 
Swee chi-yild uh 
M-eye-yannnn…’