Student Publishing Program ::

Sydney M.

Requiem For A Mistake

Dan Giamatti, do you remember me?
Because it has been quite a while
Please forgive me for my foolishness
I’ve been holding this guilt since I was four
Do you recall that bright, sunny day
When you stopped by our house in your red Corvette?
With the upholstered leather seats and wood paneling
I do, and I was quite irritated with my brother, Nathan,
As I still am, twelve years later
For some reason, still unbeknownst to me,
I picked up a jagged rock, the size of a marble, off the ground
My target was my brother standing in front of me
Instead, my feeble and unsteady arm fell short –
And hit your car
My dad brought me inside
And sent me to my room
And although my memory fails me
Of what followed
The guilt of this horrible accident
Continues to chase me
Even though
You are no longer my babysitter’s boyfriend
Because you now live in Barcelona, Spain
With your wife, Jane, and two kids, Jack and Louise,
And I haven’t seen you in many years
I am giving you a sincere and heartfelt apology
That I hope you’ll accept
I am sorry for scratching the bottom of your Corvette
Even though I cannot give you monetary compensation
As a sign of my apology and guilt
I can say
I have learned from my uncontrolled rage:
Last year during a family trip to Florida
I felt a tiny urge to throw a tennis ball at Nathan
When his back was facing me
I bent down, picked up the ball, and hesitated
I remembered you and the consequences of a similar instance twelve years earlier
And I put the ball down

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2010 EDITION]