Descending the plane’s steps manually she smiled …gave me her handbag to hold, for she herself held a baby …
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And a five-year-old too who held her finger.
Another bag hung from her shoulder.
So it was that I came in handy.
A great fog -bank advanced on Heathrow
Alighting We were on open ground. Wet and slippery with rain overnight.
No gate to park the huge jet…we had to walk.
It happened then; she slipped ===and fell.
The baby I caught in midair like a ball. The kid behind rolled over her …safe.
Did not cry at all, helped the limping mom up on her feet, and seemed well, at least for a sec.
Quick came down a flight attendant
Thank God, your family is safe, he said to me helped her with the fallen bag.
We walked.
The baby smelled nice. It was a cozy bundle that I held and her bag too:
Till we reached the baggage claim, no one said a word.
Then it was that she spoke in Spanish
Sustantivo, Gracias! Just two words I understood.
She took the sleeping baby from my arms.
Said gracias again reached over…and kissed full on my lips; a warm, wet kiss it was.
Sustantivo baso, she said recuedo. She told her five years old.
I carried the kiss back home
still wet, still sweet and then found my Latin dictionary.
Recuerdo meant a memento, a gift.
So, the kiss was a gift to remember her by.
Eastrado un caballero, meant He is a real gentleman.
That was an explanation to her son.
(2009)