Quill & Parchment: Boyfriends

Boyfriends
by Tina Hacker

Some were never ready to commit.
Some too ready to commit.
Didn't relish being wife number four or five.
One guy made interesting topics boring
and another, boring topics interesting
as long as they weren’t personal.
There was the genius who made it
to the champion round of Jeopardy
but stretched truth to match his trivia chops.
Another I tossed out the door
when he used the N word.
A scientist who took me to Poland
for a symposium. Had a great time
especially when he was presenting his paper
and wasn't around. A guy who laid guilt
on everyone around him because
he was always constipated.
The Greek guy who talked about a huge cadre
of prejudice against Greeks. But his family hated
anyone who wasn't Greek. Including me.
Guys who offered marriage because
their next birthday was their own personal
bull's eye: marry now or never.
Ought to, got to, going to. "Why not you?"
A guy who moved so far away that moving farther
would have made him closer. All leading
up to waiting 50 years to marry and close the deal.

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