The world is not funny
but then again
Years ago my mechanics
were two brothers
Their garage was
a mile down Swamp Road
One day (I was driving a loaner)
I showed up
To see what was taking
them so long Just
As I was pulling in
here was the scene:
The brothers were sitting outside
the back bay on milk crates
My car was butt-up
to the garage
The rear axel, resting
on two upright cinderblocks
A truck was backing
up to the bay
And knocked my car
off the cinder blocks
The brothers were just beginning
to laugh at this
But when they saw me
they doubled up
My sense was, this was what
they lived for
Is this what is meant
by a Zen moment?
If so, my satori was delayed
about 25 years
For 25 years I have
replayed this sequence
Like a viral Youtube
unable to see the humor
Then yesterday
I was on the way to work
And it hit me
I laughed all the way
Through 3 intersections
harder and harder
First I laughed at
the truck driver’s error
Then I laughed at
the awkwardness of my timing
And then I laughed
with the brothers
As if I was sitting with them
taking a break
Like two Sligo shop keepers
I once saw (from the back)
Sitting at their shop entrance
on a pile of sacks
Looking out at the world
to all appearances
Caught up in Satori
not expecting or needing
Anything remarkable
to happen
But ready to laugh
because you never know