New England Security Service

flood

captain jim and i
worked this old paper factory
one night
by the river
almost at flood stage
after 3 days of torrential rains
we were supposed to make sure
the factory didn't get flooded
don't ask me how
there were already sand bags
stacked around the foundation
and sump pumps on stand by
but other than that
what the hell were we going to do
except call the proper authorities
as we fled the rising water?

"rodney at dispatch told me to bring a shovel,"
captain jim said. "i don't know what good
that'll do."
and i pictured us futilely shoveling water
as it poured through the doors
eventually being overcome by thousands of gallons
"i've had better accounts," captain jim confessed.
"i don't really like danger."

but every hour
we'd put on our cheap plastic parkas
and walk outside to check the dark raging river
shining our flashlights through the gloom
"i don't wanna drown," captain jim yelled
through the wind. "that's one of my biggest fears."
and the water pressed the bulging riverbanks
as sticks and tires
and all kinds of household debris
from the trailer park upstream
swirled past
a perfectly good-looking toaster oven
disappearing into the night
"what if we could throw out a big net
and get some of that stuff?" captain jim
speculated. "that sure would be nice."
and i imagined captain jim's apartment
stocked with water-logged and muddy appliances
sitting around on a mildewed sofa
sifting through incident reports and drinking Yoo-hoo

"i need new galoshes," captain jim informed me,
"my feet are soaked."
and as we trudged back inside
to nurse his soggy corns and carbuncles
i realized this was about as exciting
as life got for me these days
and i found myself praying
for a lot more rain