but I never seem to call.
On occasion they might call me
and I am surprised that they bother with me at all,
given that I am a disappointment to them.
I am always happy to hear from them,
our conversations are lively and spontaneous,
and I resolve to do the calling next time.
But over the following weeks,
my good intentions always turn to sand.
If my judgment is poor when they call,
I confide in them that I was recently thinking of them
and intended to call.
They always chuckle and I feel foolish again.
I wonder if this is how it is with bears
who shuffle-amble along alone in their shaggy way.
When they chance upon a favorite bear from their litter,
do they bump shoulders
and cuff each others’ heads
and claim that they intended to call?
Bears aside though,
it works both ways.
Sometimes, for whatever reason,
I call someone I care about.
They often tell me that they had been thinking of me
and had thought about calling.
And that always makes me chuckle.