Title: Eleven
Author: Susan Frankovich
E-mail: susanf@ticnet.com
Classification: VA
Archive: Gossamer, Xemplary, Spooky's, and
MTA...Anywhere else, please ask first.
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, and
they never will be.

Summary: I knew him when he was eleven...
*************************************************************

Eleven
by Susan Frankovich
~~~~~~

I knew him when he was eleven.

I knew that he liked peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches and that he always ate the crusts
first.

I knew that sometimes he snuck out his bedroom
window so he could go play baseball instead of
cleaning his room.

I knew that Wednesday was his favorite day at
school because he got to go to both gym class
and the library.

I knew him when he was eleven.

I knew that he liked to dance in front of his
bedroom mirror and pretend he was a rock star.

I knew that even though he complained about the
classical music I often played that he secretly
enjoyed listening to it.

I knew that he liked to leave his radio on when
he went to bed at night because the sound of it
helped him fall asleep.

I knew him when he was eleven.

I knew that he liked to have his back rubbed in
circles, not up and down, when he was sick.

I knew that he liked to go outside and shoot
baskets in the driveway when he needed to think
about things.

I knew that he liked to play Monopoly when he
was bored and eat sunflower seeds when he was
nervous.

I knew him when he was eleven.

I knew what kinds of jokes he liked, what his
favorite television shows were, what he liked
to read, what made him happy.

I knew how stubborn and selfish he could be at
times, but I also knew how smart and persistent
he was, and what a big heart he had.

And I loved him as every mother should love her
son.

Then one night, shortly after he turned twelve,
his sister disappeared from his life.

I never knew him again.


~end~


~All my poems and stories can be found at:
http://members.tripod.com/sfrankovich/index.html