Read Poem: My Morning Routine Re: Alex by Jessica Mifsud

My Morning Routine Re: Alex

My morning starts with his.

SHWOOMP

His door slams. It’s my alarm clock.

My door rattles

rattle

rattle

rattle

And I’m awake.

My nerves

rattle

rattle

rattle
A sharp

Click-click.

And then:

one. two. three. four. five. six.

I get up.

lightly

lightly

lightly

Two feet of hallway separate us.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

I pad barefoot to the door.

lightly

lightly

lightly

I peer through the peephole.

lightly

lightly

lightly

I see him.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

He’s there. He pulls at the door handle, again and again and again. I feel my door shake.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

My fingertips pressed

lightly

lightly
lightly

He stops. I hold my breath.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

Threes, sixes, and nines. That’s what he told me.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

He takes a step back. Stares down the knob. Circles it. Studies it. Dares it. Reaches forward.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

Another step back. Another twist. Another hard look.

And then:

Slowly suddenly he tears himself away. He stalks down the hall. Down the stairwell. Footsteps not so

lightly

lightly
lightly

Sometimes he comes back. But not today.

one. two. three. four. five. six.

OCD is a bitch.

I turn to the bathroom, turn on the light. Pull out my ponytail and size up my hair. My morning starts.

But really, my morning starts with his.

By: Jessica Mifsud