Once upon a time
people waited
around
There were people
some of them smarter than me
who paced around the kitchen or sat
by their phone
Waiting
for hours
sometimes days
at home
for a person who might call
Sometimes the calls came
smiling, filling a room with
reassurance
the long plastic cord wrapped around
their arms
temporary bracelets
Sometimes the calls came
cold and monotone
delivering nothing
but insincere words
Other times
the calls
didn't come at all
while the phone
sitting at the end of the bed
offered only
a frequently checked dialtone