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Auto Love
The mechanic falls in love with my small red sports car. When I pick up my vehicle at the shop after an oil change, I see him rubbing the hood with his long, greasy fingers. His mouth is moving like he’s talking to someone, but no one else is there.
At night, I spot him in my flower garden serenading the car. He leaves car polish one day, then tire-shaped chocolates the next. Early one morning, I spot the mechanic in his gray work shirt with the Bob’s Auto logo embroidered on the left pocket. He is palming the headlights of my car. After witnessing this odd event, I move my sports car into the garage and park my husband’s sedan in the driveway.
I think it’s a one-sided affair, but this evening I hear my car’s horn beeping the tune of a love song. The last thing I see when I look out the window: headlights reaching out like golden hands through the garage door cracks, trying to touch the mechanic.
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Maureen Sherbondy
Maureen Sherbondy’s forthcoming book is Lines in Opposition (Unsolicited Press, 2022). Her work has appeared in Wigleaf, The Stone Canoe, Prelude, Litro, and other journals. She lives in Durham, NC. www.maureensherbondy.com