Useless Baggage

A lovely woman getting onto her

bike, corner of Grand and Snelling—short hair,
light build. I could see her dark eyes from where
I stood kitty-corner, waiting for the

light. I’d like to be that young woman, I
thought—but how vulnerable, without my
brash male bravado, my pre-possessive
lordliness, my sense of being stronger,

my entitlement, my sly assumption
that everyone will think my abusive
bullying is cute! How naked I’d feel
without the prerogatives I own by

right of being male! But what a relief!
A lovely woman peddling up the street.