A Poem for Today: 8/14/05

SUDDEN CURES: VELCRO STRIPS He stood beside his bike in the sunshine, looping ropes and strings across the pack to tie it securely to the rack. It took him many minutes to fasten everything down. There was a noisy rainstorm along the streets, but he knew a pack tied tightly to his rack would carry him carefully through his journey, no matter what the weather. That’s when the stranger offered him the use of Velcro strips. “Got all I need. Go ahead and use ‘em. Tie anything down.” He unfastened the ropes and strapped on the Velcro strips in just a few seconds. There was something sweet in the air just then, he thought. The showers were passing down the street like a celebration that slowly vanishes. He stood back a step or two and smiled at the Velcro strips and said thanks to the stranger who was walking away.