Anticipation by Carl Papa Palmer

She watches the officer’s precise approach 
in her rear view mirror, 
grips the steering wheel tightly 
keeping both hands in plain sight 
at ten and two. 

Not the first time in this situation, 
she recalls emotions felt while relating 
her same prior humiliating experience 
to smug listeners. 

He slowly circles her vehicle from the back, 
around the passenger side 
to stand directly in front 
while writing on his notepad the whole time. 

He moves methodically to the driver’s door, 
taps the window, 
“Please turn off the engine 
and get out of the car, Ma’am.” 

“Congratulations, 
you parallel parked perfectly. 
Here’s your license.”


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Carl “Papa” Palmer of Old Mill Road in Ridgeway, Virginia, lives in University Place, Washington. He is retired from the military and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enjoying life as “Papa” to his grand descendants and being a Franciscan Hospice volunteer.