“One day I’ll come back,” he said
As he shuffled through the doorway
But I knew.

“One day I’ll come back,” he said
“I’ll teach you to fish and climb mountains,
“We’ll play ball and make pebbles dance across the lake.”

He gently folded his suit and dress shirt
As he shuffled through the doorway
Tucking them under his arm in a brown paper bag.

The taxi’s horn howled
His hand on my shoulder, as if I were a man
But I knew - he’d never be back.