Sitting on the Dock

(circa 1988)

In my college senior year
I am on a boat dock
on the Hudson River
in Nyack NY, an
artsy-fartsy village.
 
Joy and I sit on the dock
watching the sun set,
swinging our feet just
above the PCB polluted water
with commuters driving home
across the Tappan Zee Bridge
and smoke coming out of the
Tarrytown G.M. Auto Plant.
 
Two geese swim by and
Joy asks if they bite.
I say, “No,  the don't bite!,”
and the LARGEr goose
bites her on the foot.
 
Later we lean against the dock railing
for some kissy-face action and
I feel something pulling on my shoelace.
 
Two large raccoons are
right next to our feet,
the BIGGEr one pulling
my shoelace.
 
I say to the the raccoons
“We are going to walk away now,”
The gray-haired masked bandits
look at us like they understand
what I am saying.
 
Joy runs away screaming,
I walk away gingerly
grateful neither of us need
to go to the Emergency Room
for the 20 plus shots
needed for
rabies
treatment.