I collected some nerve as I rounded the curve
in the driveway
the house was still light
so I thought what might
be the most tactful of things I could say

I knocked on the door
with no feet on the floor
and she opened it up
and she smiled
she invited me in
but I could just grin
and point to my car like a child

and the "no" that I heard
was a four letter word
I accepted her answer descending
and I walked in to find
some good friends of mine
and I laughed and I was not pretending