First Date

Charred foil blew like leaves over the sidewalk

and the man's hand dropped to the ground.

.

It was our first date.

We were walking from the train,

where I had waited for you on the platform.

I had joked that I would make a sign with your name on it

so you would recognize me

and now you were carrying it.

Benji it said

(your name).

Stumbling through initial greetings,

our words were awkward but tasted sweet.

Since you were now carrying the sign I made,

I wondered what to do with my hands

and where to focus my eyes.

.

Looking ahead on the sidewalk,

we both saw him,

(the man on the ground),

watched his hand drop

and then his body,

watched as others scattered or passed him by.

Should we check on him,

I thought,

but you were already on the ground

by his side.

He's turning blue

you said,

and I could see the life draining away,

first from his eyes

and then out of his body.

You shook him,

called him back to life,

ordered him not to go.

I was on the phone with 911,

while you attended to him,

determined to bring him back.

What's your name?

How old are you?

Stay with me.

No longer nameless,

he drifted in and out of consciousness.

I wanted to cry.

And then he was gone again.

You started chest compressions as we waited for the fire engine to arrive.

Between the breaths you pushed into his lungs

I could hear the words you were saying to him.

Stay with me.

I love you.

You're going to make it through this.

I started to head back to the train station,

desperate to find someone with narcan.

Hearing the sirens, I turned back,

waved the fire truck over

and watched as you passed the weight of his life

into their hands.

I saw the way you held on

until it was safe to let go.

.

We got you some mouthwash

and split a German pancake,

ate mediocre breakfast food

and talked about our lives.

You held my hand

and looked into my eyes.

I have felt so broken, I told you

and thought about the love you showed a stranger.

I have been so exhausted, I told you

and thought about the way you didn't hesitate to act when needed.

I have felt so lost, I told you

and thought about the way you called him back to life, how you guided him with love and strength.

.

Charred foil blew like leaves over the sidewalk

and you were there.

A stranger will live another day.

May this be my very last

first date.