The Parting

WE drove through the square
in the smokey gloom of a
wintered Christchurch evening
and swung the truck into
the NZR bus depot.

WE parked in the darkest spot
we could find, obscured behind
a dumpster, up hard against
a concrete wall.

THE driver shut down the truck
and turned off the lights so
that no prowling Military Police
vehicle might happen upon us
smoking in the cab.

THE depot was all but deserted
until the Timaru bus pulled in
just before seven and we
watched in the dark as the
passengers alighted from the
vehicle.

IT was immediately obvious from
their body language that they were
lovers, both wore wedding bands
and the interaction between them
was electric.

IT was also clear that they came from
opposite ends of the social divide,
as the woman wore a plain jacket
and blouse, with a faded pair of
denim jeans while her lover wore
an expensive tailored suit.

THEY touched and caressed,
then the suited lover pointed to our
darkened truck and together both
uplifted their bags and stole
towards us.

THEY stopped between our truck and
the dumpster, looking up into the
cab to ensure it was empty..it wasn't,
both my driver and myself
wore camouflage paint and combat gear
making us invisible to their searching
eyes.

THEN certain that they could not
be seen, they began to say their
special and secret farewells, with
promises of love, tenderness and
warm embrace.

THEN tears began to softly
spill down the woman's cheeks
and she clung tightly to her lover
who kissed each tear away and
then gently began to touch
and explore.

SLOWLY the suited lover caressed
her breasts, kissed her neck and
stroked her thighs, unbuttoning
the blouse and denims as the
woman's body responded.

SLOWLY their parting time drew
near and the woman bent and
clutched her bag, then did her
buttons up once more, a final kiss
and with 'goodbye' she turned
away and walked alone...that
lonely lovers journey home.

WE watched, as the suited lover
lit a smoke and soon after a
gold mercedes pulled into the
depot and the woman's lover
straightened jacket and suit,
grabbed bag and book and
quickly ran...to sweetly greet
her husband.

WE waited till the car moved off,
then started the engine and began to
pull away in silence until we got
to the edge of the road and the driver
turned to me and said dumbly
"Shit sarge did ya see that?"
To which I replied...

"Yes soldier, all the world loves a lover...Drive on!"


(c) Mike Subritzky 1986