F. William Broome

HUBCAPS

It was an old, but cared for, car, and I loved it.
Loved the smell of it, the chug-a-lug of its engine,
and loved taking it out on a long drive, alone,
because driving it wore on me like an old sweater,
after five days in the mobile straight jacket of
my sleek, comfortable and quiet corporate car.

Anything old loses something along the way,
and the car lost one of its hubcaps, or wheel
coverings to all under fifty. My wife’s older
brother and I began searching the junk yards
for a matching hub cap to the remaining three,
but after several long hours, not one was found.

My brother-in-law, who often shows signs of
cleverness, solved the problem, by suggesting
that I find two old, but matching hubcaps for
the side of the missing one, since no person
could see both sides of the car at the same time.
And, no one notices such demonstrated genius.