During Childhood Fat Albert was My Idea of a Gentleman

Walking late last night,
after a Village party
 with a friend and a dog,
 conversation flew alongside the night air.
 Catching up with close friends is something that I always enjoy doing.

Talked about dreams and desires,
plans and beginnings
history, experiences, a little pain.

We gave advice and listened
rescued a kitten
from a exuberant Apollo,
whom I refused to follow.

I lost some "Southern Charm" in a puff of smoke
reminisced on times that grew me,
and the people I thought knew me.

Gave and was given warmly welcomed hugs,
spoke to a friend I hadn't seen for a time.

Became morose and nostalgic, for just a moment
petting a dog, tempered like my dad
and remembered my Boo, my brother
sorely missed.

My Gentleman friend,
my walk companion, not the dog
hurried me away from some
"unsavory looking boys"
who ended up innocents
and shielded me from quickly
oncoming traffic.

That moment outside,
briskly treading the streets of the 'Scow
I traveled back to a
faded memory,
where gentleman wore red sweaters and said,
"Hey, hey, hey!"

Just a glimmer of an image,
a girl and a man
walking at twilight
the flicker of a light
-bulb, remembering his place,
Fat Albert turned to her and said:

"You know what you should be walking on this side of the street"
"Why? Is that some kind of macho thing?"
"No, it's just that, you know, the gentleman should walk on the side with the traffic, that way if a car like splashes mud or jumps the curb he can push the woman out of the way!"

placing her to the side they continued to walk,
and childhood me,
I sat and thought.

Years later, in a moment of chivalry
my Gentleman friend,
caught up in his thoughts
remembered a lesson,
some angel had taught him
and I traveled back to
that long ago afternoon,
where I formed my idea
of a Gentleman,
in Childhood.