The System

Had a problem with the system today. Our tech guy is on vacation, so they send Robert, the IT guy from the Dean’s office.

At first I’m happy. I’ve always liked him. Even though he requires attention while he’s working. He’s brilliant at what he does. But he does like to talk. I can’t do anything else while he’s working on my computer. When he’s run out of technical stuff to talk about, half of which I don’t follow in the first place, he talks about anything at all.

He knows that I love to dance. I have two posters of tango dancers at my desk.

“That you and Kevin?” he asks.

“I wish. Kevin won’t dance.”

“Looks like you,” he says. Then he tells me how he used to like dancing. “Slow dances, you know. But then it occurred to me: Why should I dance just to please a woman?”

He doesn’t even notice how quiet I have become.

© Beate Sigriddaughter

Beate Sigriddaughter, www.sigriddaughter.com, is poet laureate of Silver City, New Mexico (Land of Enchantment), USA. Her work has received several Pushcart Prize nominations and poetry awards. New books out in 2018 are Xanthippe and Her Friends (FutureCycle Press) and Postcards to a Young Unicorn (Salador Press).

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