To the Teenage Boy Walking to School

It's been four years

since I've been in the classroom

but I still recognize the gait

    backpack slung low on the shoulders

earbuds in

    eyes on the sidewalk

head down, just a little

not gazing up at all

as if afraid to look the sun in the eye

I could tell from the look

I wonder what happens every day

    Do they taunt you

Is there someone who hates you

for no reason

Tearing up your homework between the bells

or breaking your pencils

    leaving you to take notes with a stub

or worse

    asking the teacher for a pencil

    bracing yourself for them to roll their eyes

    asking you why you never have a pencil

I speed by

    Life moves fast in the morning

    In my rearview mirror

    I watch you slowly shuffle along the sidewalk

    The school only two blocks away

    I say a small prayer

    that maybe today will be a good day

    for you

6 a.m. Flight

I’m traveling from Grand Island to Madison

Off the Wing

 by way of Dallas

A clear sky

  the horizon wrapped in a rose colored ribbon

I can see the fields crisscrossed with roads

The land spotted with ponds and streams

Streetlights visible from small towns

 like spilled salt on a dark table cloth

By now my family is starting their morning routine

As are so many other families below our plane

I can see the day unfold

 beautiful from 20000 ft

But I start to wonder about the things I can’t see

  I can’t see the hungry child looking for something

  to eat in the bare cupboards

 I can’t see the dad sipping coffee as he makes

 his daughter’s lunch, she doesn’t like the school’s chicken

 I can’t hear the teenage son yell at his mom

 knowing it hurts her but he is so angry lately

 I can’t hear the dedicated teacher order her coffee

 the excitement of a new lesson spurring her to school early

I can’t experience the thousands of stories unfolding beneath me

as the curve of the sun rises from the horizon

  Slow and steady

  Making me squint to watch the darkness fade away on this new day

I smile as I text my family to have a wonderful day

For a second I understand the cliche

 that this life is a gift

 and through the joy and the pain

 it is my day to live

Then my phone vibrates

 “U 2 Dad”

To the Teenage Girl Smoking in the Doorway

I see you

Life hanging hard on your lips

Eyes red from tears or drugs

Hate radiating

  for me

  for life

  for this cool fall morning

I am walking into a local coffee shop with coworkers

I am here for a conference about higher education software

You don’t care

After ten minutes I walk out of the coffee shop

Warm designer drink in my hand

My group jaywalks across the street

  smiling

  laughing

  looking forward to the day

At the curb I turn to look for you

You are leaning in the doorway

Facing me

Cigarette still in your hand

I nod

 Wanting you to know I see you

You frown

Turn from me

You don’t care

I don’t blame you