Piranhas

He was one of those people

those who talk

purely because they can

they are everywhere

especially, but not exclusively

at petrol stations

grocery shops

banks and beaches

and school gates

they love school gates

 

they search out your gaze

and out trot their greatest hits

oblivious

that they are being humoured

oblivious in general

I wait in my car as long as I can

I make sure to look the other way

I sometimes hold my phone to my ear

it doesn’t matter

they hear footsteps

no matter how soft, how careful

a thousand yards away

and they appear

they surround

all teeth and small talk

piranhas

viruses that speak

 

we waited for the school door to open

I heard about the upcoming vote

the new houses being built

his trip away

I found myself sending prayers up

and down

to whoever might be listening

 

with the turn of the door handle

they were answered

and he was drowned out

by a giggling stream of escaping children

I found smiles in the eyes of my daughter as he said

“Isn't it amazing to think that you made her?”

for the first time I looked at him

nodded

smiled

agreed

while knowing the opposite to be true