by Judith W. Monroe

Created on: November 06, 2008

W

Confession On Cudjoe Key

Warming ourselves on the sand, frosted drinks

in hand, the four of us began a word game:

"describe in a single sentence your life's mission."

We were Northeastern

snow birds on our favorite beach with its

postcard palm trees, silky breeze, marbled water.

Silent for a bit, pleased with the thought

of trying for honesty, we would dig,

dig until we'd found the perfect gem to share.

When my turn came last I giggled

uncontrollably, then spouted,

"...to go somewhere and get something!"

The others, who were solemn in their answers,

fired annoyed looks, then turned amused .

"So true" one said of me. Laughter and

her tone let me off the hook.

But then, of course, we remembered

the Bush 9/11 dictum to save America.

Astonishing. I had chosen to represent

all sorts of shoppers, defending my bit

as a consumer queen.

Trying to dress up this startling

confession, (or dress it down)

I backed up, "Going somewhere

to get something

can be as simple as a walk

to catch a beauitful sunset,

"or to attend a concert

or visit a friend's house

to enjoy a home-cooked meal".

That had to do. Sooner than we knew

we would be digging our way through

the biggest of American astonishments -

all of us for years and years

would be dealing with that greed- layers of it,

from top to bottom, our lives' mission yet to come

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