(by Gemminijen/aka Peg Rapp)
For the Saturday morning breakfasts
We shared while doing the laundry
For taking me out for drinks at midnite when
The guy I just met stood me up
For understanding when I cancelled our dinner plans for
A last minute date with my New Crush
For driving me to the Vet when my dog Joey
Ate a chocolate bar
For being a friend to my son when
He needed a friend, not a mother
For watching movies with me in my bedroom on Valentine's Day.
For bringing the ice cream.
For driving me to my mother's funeral in Chicago
For driving me to the abortion clinic.
For whispering in my ear - right before I walked down the aisle:
"Remember, you can always get a divorce."
For not saying "I told you so" when
My husband blackened my eye.
For holding my hand in the court when
I got my divorce
For late night long distance discussions on Marx and Feminism
For honoring the strike at Walmart’s on Black Friday
When I know you didn’t want to.
For throwing a party to celebrate my promotion
As the first woman in the Economics Department.
For putting your arms around me when
Two sneering teenage boys yelled
"Bull Dyke" as they passed me on the street
For the "Fuck You" and raised fist you shook
At their retreating backs.
For driving me to the jail when
My son was arrested.
For never asking me "What did he do wrong?"
For getting on the bus to DC to march
For Equal Pay for women.
For getting on the bus to fight for LGBT rights
For getting on the bus to protest Stop & Frisk
For going to jail when it had to be done
For giving us the courage to go too.
For listening to me rant and rave - for weeks - when
I was left for a young blonde by my long term lover
And never getting irritated or impatient,
Not once.
For always making me feel smart and beautiful and loved.