Stairway to heaven – 1983

For Susie’s prompt at Real Toads – stairs

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Stairway to Heaven – 1983

sweltering day in Philadelphia –
the air downtown smells of rotting vegetables
exhaust and pretzels.
I climb the two steps up into
the trolley –
exhausted from a day of cooking
and glad there are not more than
two steps –
the air from the open windows
is sweltering is hot as the air
blasting out of a 500 degree oven.
I get off at my stop and begin
the slow slog up the rickety
apartment stairs to my
third floor apartment –
I open the door and step inside
and…
alone at last – the overhead fan
and the fan in the window cool the apartment.
I sit in the rocker by the window
and look down on the street below.
I fall into a short nap –
My bare feet are up on the coffee table.
Heaven.
A cold glass of lemonade.
Heaven.
I hear footsteps coming up the stairs –
I ignore the knocks.
I am in heaven and nobody else is allowed.

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