Don Henry

You can hear Don Henry coming
by the jingling of his keys
it's a nervous affectation
that's part of his OCD

He checks the bank's computers
and several other sites
he's not much good with people
he thinks in bits and bytes

Head down, he walks and mutters
off to each job and back
his roadmap is the sidewalk
he knows each bump and crack

He never reads the street signs
or looks folks in the eyes
when Tiny Kim smiled up at him
it took him by surprise

Don's used to knowing people
by their voices and their shoes
he never thought a pixie girl
would stand right in his view

When she gave his change in nickels
and whispered with a wink
"they'll make a pretty jingle"
he felt his face turn pink

As he hurried off to work
her words stayed in his mind
he couldn't say her tone of voice
was anything but kind

Then for the first time in his life
as he juggled password files
his pocket nickels jingled
and Don Henry cracked a smile

Now he waits to buy his paper
when Kim is in the stand
and he's learning not to flinch
when she drops nickels in his hand

Don Henry's started healing
more than Kim will ever know
she's weaning him to people
and some day he'll say hello

c. 9/11/09, B. Riley