the friend | Bonnie P. Leer she flies out of the door runs through the grass kicking up crackling leaves laughing smiling at the sun to the back yard fence grabs the chipped pickets where is the little boy that lives there? she stares over the fence and waits looks at his swingset trampoline boxes of toys his back door he doesn't see her standing there he isn't looking through his window isn't waiting for her she sighs looks down lower lip pushed out he isn't coming she turns around and slowly wanders back to the house