There was a reminder
to open the screen door
Let the cat out
but it was ignored
the cat meowed
so I fed it

we had leftover fish sticks
the cat was not
interested
he took a dump on
the persian rug
in the study instead

My dad would find it later
or not
he wasn't very aware of
his surroundings
unless he was staring at something
it didn't exist
a roving band
of zombies could stumble
right up to him
until their drooping fleshy
hands were on him
he wouldn't even notice

his hearing wasn't so good either
or maybe that was a big part of it
he said what a lot
so I got to say it backing to him
"What?"
not very nice
he's old
but he would laugh
and then get some ice cream

they took his license away
but he kept driving
to the library
in town
and the to the all you can eat
chinese buffet
on Fenton St.
he called it Fen-Tone
If I was driving
which I do now
he would say
take Fen-Tone
one of the few things he remembers

They said he ignored the traffic lanes
and tried to make an illegal left on
Second St.
so they impounded his
vehicle
the van
he took a cab home
seven miles up into the hills

He thought the grass around the ranch house
was getting too long
maybe he thought he was a native american
and set fire to it
by a stroke of luck the
fire melted the main water hose
going into the house
and the gushing water
put the fire out
stroke of luck