Chocolate Milk

3pm and school is out.
Sunshine, fresh air, and crackling leaves fill my senses
On the way to the bike rack.
The laughter of friends fills my heart as I race toward home.

I get to my apartment,
And open the door -
Key around my neck.
Time for homework and Space Quest.

By the time I reach level 5, Mom is home.
Cat, drink, sigh, sit, dinner.
Fried rice with broccoli and peas
Or macaroni and cheese with tuna and crackers.

Then off to the barn for an evening ride.
The sweet smell of hay
And the brushing and occasional click of hooves in sand
Create a stillness and strength in us.

As I ride round and round
Trying to impress my mother
She watches,
Leaning on the arena gate while she has a smoke.

Quiet, darkness, and cold.
Breath in the air and fingers stiff
We hop in the car
And head for home.

My eyes grow lazy and drift out of focus
As the street lights divide,
And pass overhead.
The tunnel turns everything strange shades of orange and green.

We’re home
And the car’s finally warm.
I don’t want to move,
But mom reminds me of my cozy bed.

Evening routine and chocolate milk.
Mixed carefully and cleanly
With deliberate preparation.
Sipped slowly at bedtime.

Nighttime reading
Tucked soundly and warmly
Into my clean soft bed.
Toe tugged.

With mother’s hum and bumble in the next room
I drift away
With innocence.
With peace.