THE CAR ENTHUSIAST

He adored her
but their bond was fraying.
They flitted between being lovers and strangers.

He'd bought a vintage Cadillac.
He sang in the garage.
She shouted at him

and a spider dropped from the rafters
as if he, himself, was fair game.
He incensed her. It snowed.

The Cadillac got polished. It shined.
She threw her hairbrush against the wall.
He sat in his car, in pure ecstasy.

"I'll enter her in the Concours d'Elegance" he said,
"I'll clean her engine parts!" They gleamed
from all the loving care and attention.

The engine purred like a contented cat. He was in his element.
She wanted a night out.
He was checking the oil.

They attended a friend's wedding.
As he threw confetti, his eyes never left
his beloved car out there in the street.

The Cadillac won 1st prize in the Concours.
Winter mornings cast long shadows
across all except the garage.

She stayed in bed. She was fed up.
He was fine-tuning and tweaking the points and electrics.
She threw his breakfast in the bin.

And when her home made cakes flopped
and when she failed an important exam
and when their son moved out

he was lying under the car
and tinkering with the exhaust system.
The car looked brand new

and the aroma of oil and polish permeated his clothing.
He stumbled upon her this morning, sobbing in the garage.
She thought she'd lost her keys in there -

at least, that's what she claimed...