how my daddy became a captain; as i imagine it | Teen Ink

how my daddy became a captain; as i imagine it

March 13, 2012
By Morganne Elkins GOLD, Edgecomb, Maine
Morganne Elkins GOLD, Edgecomb, Maine
18 articles 0 photos 2 comments

fjfjfj
you were so fast, so smooth
everyone was envious as you flew
fjfjfjfj
amazing, they cooed, well done
and you basked in your light
that was a power cord stolen from the lab
and typed faster then that geek in the corner
fjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjf
sixty, seventy words a minute, how spiteful the teacher’s
glare— you typed faster than her—

fjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjf
as you carried yourself away
and almost convinced yourself their admiration was deserved
but somewhere
you knew
that anyone
any one person could type at your quantity
and quality
and two letters do not an alphabet make


fjfjf j f j f j f j f j
and if they wondered why you slowed
they didn’t show it
only smirked
and you saw their smiles and smirks were twins
except for that birthmark there
they’d be undistinguishable



f
j
f
j
f
j
and the teacher called you to her desk— mr., do
we have a problem?— so you went but first you typed

Happenstance

and it all changed for you
your happenstance
coastguards and captains
first mate and victory chimes waves crashing
to wake
the white pickup truck, dust in your mirrors

victory chimes for you daddy
fjfjfjfjf
so here i am
thirty years later
typing these letters, just like you, my dad––
fjfjjfjfjfjfjfj


fj——— waiting for my





Chance———


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