MY WAY

I’ve learned
by now
that I do things
differently
than other people.
for instance
when I’m going to fly somewhere
I go to the airport early
check my bag
head straight to the bar
and I don’t leave
until over the intercom
I hear these words: “paging passenger
Jackson Warfield. This is your last
and final boarding call.”

there’s something I really like
about that little threat.
makes me excited
like when you’re young
and your babysitter says, “you
will put that knife down
on the count of three. One…two…three.”
and you try to time it perfectly
so that the knife is down
right after “three”
but right before you get in trouble

so after I have been paged
I walk down to my departure gate
whistling Dixie
and feeling like a winner.
I smile to the flight attendants
and board the airplane

with a very generous buzz.