SPIED ON 1962

A BOY AND GIRL AT SCHOOL IN 1962 AND THE GIRL'S MOTHER'S SPY

You play a neat Chopin

Benedict said

Yochana looked at him

outside the school

before they both

entered for lessons

practice makes perfect

not I am perfect

but I try

she said

trying is what counts

he said

can be boring

the same old Chopin piece

over and over

she said

I guess so

he replied

look I can't be seen

to be talking to you too long

as my friend Angela

is spying on me

for my mother

Yochana said

spying on you

doing what?

he asked

seeing you or talking to you

she said

am I that bad?

he asked

I don't think you're bad at all

but my mother doesn't

want me mixing with boys

at my age and not

any riff-raff

from this school

my mother said

Yochana said

looking anxiously

around her

so where's Angela?

he said

I don't know

but she could be

looking at us now

and she'll report it

to my mother and then

there will hell to pay

she said

I didn't know

he said

kids past them

on their way into school

best move on

a prefect said to them

see you later?

Benedict asked

mid-morning break

by the bee-study tank?

she said

ok that's good

he said

they hesitated

looked at each other

their hands touched

then they moved

on and in

he watched her

go ahead of him

her thin frame

dark hair

he breathed deep

and gave

a long stare.