Giving Suicide a Bad Name

Abe left a short note.

Asked Phil to handle his “things”.

He couldn't muster the nerve to write “estate”.

He left quietly, left nothing.

Abe had the small office, 

Small enough to pass for a medium -sized closet.

Was that where the bravery came from?

Being reduced to an apology for an office?

Phil, at his desk, reviewing contract papers,

Stopped... looked at the carpet, and thought,

“This is really lousy timing.

Even in death Abe screws up.”

In the room, but outside the tension,

Phil’s partners had little to offer.

Abe had not been part of their process.

They chose to wait Phil out.

Finally, knowing he would sound unfeeling,

Gene closed the invisible coffin.

“Look, Phil, life goes on.

We need to sign the papers”.

I knew Abe’s story.

Dark and empty. No love.

No clients, no money,

Nothing to drink.