Daniel flew into the city just for the day,
Emily was so excited about his visit...
until she remembered her car.
She’d been waiting (and saving)
a whole month to get her car fixed.
Today the service shop said
her car would be ready late morning
(not before 10:30 AM) - Hooray!
No more bumming rides, taking the bus,
taking forever to walk to work
in heels and her favorite pencil skirt...

Daniel was taking the red-eye flight,
leaving at O-dark-thirty, arriving at daybreak.
Emily planned to take the morning off,
meet Daniel at the airport, fix a leisurely
breakfast for him at home, Daniel
would take her to retrieve her car,
then both would take care of business.

That was THE PLAN ... it began to unravel
with Daniel’s phone call at six in the morning.
“Em, my love, we’ve arrived forty minutes early.
My boss just called to tell me the client
wants to meet at nine this morning - not at one
o’clock this afternoon. By the time I get the rental
car we’ll only have time for a quick breakfast
at the Golden Arches ... I’m so sorry Emily.”

Fortunately Emily is a morning person,
rising early for a start-the-day two mile run.
Emily resolved that her planned breakfast
surprise would not be altered by the trivial
inconvenience of time or location changes,
Daniel is going to get so lucky ... Savor
yummy Emily - eat slow food for breakfast!

P.S. car wasn’t ready ... Em got a free loaner,
a new BMW Z4 red convertible for a week
(she’d left her panties & inhibitions at home.)

Poem by Auguste Hand
Illustrations by Mat and Auguste