There was a time when I cared.

There was a time in my life when
Nothing was real

There was a time when all was fleeting
Time passed
Life flew by

There was a time when nothing lasted
No point in caring when
Friends and family are fleeting
And love lasted never

There was a time when this was true

There was a time when
I went out with friends
A time when a bet was everything
Because nothing lasted longer
Than it takes to say the words
And a time when I was just me

Then there was that one time

There was a concert
Loud, screaming, nothing I’d enjoy

There was dancing

There was stumbling over the feet
Of someone next to me

There was a cry
Fearful and shocked
And pained as he hit the ground

There was a memory of moments before

The bath
Water pouring through my fingers like
Everything else in this world

The lights
Flickering above like
Hope going in and out of people’s minds

And there was the little bit of blue
A tiny puddle
That still rested in my cupped hands

There was resistance as I helped him
Small, helpless
From the floor

There was a whisper of thanks
High, comforting
Quiet, honest
And sweet beyond all else

There was a moment of falling
Lost in eyes as dark as his hair
And bottomless like
The ocean
That holds water like no man can

There was the question:
“What are you doing here?”

There was the answer:
“It’s my job.”

There was the exchange
Words flying back and forth
One lower, louder, larger
Fitting me
The other quiet, polite
High, musical
And pure, unmatched sweetness

There was a question, an adventure:
“So, can I take you to dinner sometime?”

There was fear and surprise:
“What was that?”

There was an emotion
The first I could remember
Not of disgust with wishes for permanence
But worry and humiliation:
“I’m sorry, I just assumed...with the outfit and your hair and all...”

There was an apology:
“I’m so sorry, really. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

There was a moment when I wanted to leave
Horrified at myself
Saddened by losing what I knew
No one could have
The loss of possible love

There were words that turned me back:
“I’d love to.”

There was a time when I wouldn’t have turned
At those words

There was a time when I would’ve thought
There was no point
In prolonging the inevitable decay
The fleeting moments
The fleeting love

Then there was a time when I cared
And knew everything I thought before
Was never true

There was a time when I cared

Because of him, that time is now.