Robert only says long enough
for my mother to thank him
for buying our tickets
for getting us home.
He does a fancy turn on his heel, aims
two pointer fingers at us
says, I'll catch up with all of you later.
We tell him that he has to come back soon,
remind him of all the stuff he's promised us
trips to Coney Island and Palisades Amusement Park,
a Crissy doll
with hair that grows, a Tonka toy, Gulliver's Travels,
candy.
He says he won't forget,
asks us if he's a man of his word and
everyone except my mother
nods.
Hard not to miss my mother's eyebrows,
giving her baby brother a look,
pressing her lips together. Once,
in the middle of the night, two policemen
knocked on our door, asking for Robert Leon Irby.
But my uncle wasn't here.
So now my mother takes a breath, says,
Stay safe.
Says,
Don't get into trouble out there, Robert.
He gives her a hug, promises he won't
and then he is gone.