We met at a bar.

A place I had been once before.

I pushed the bittersweet memories back,

told them they could come out another day.

The contrast between this and the last

it was packed, and noisy,

trivia night was in full swing.

He made the comment, "We can stay if you want to,

but when I saw they were playing a game with electronic gadgets,

I knew this place was not for me."

Oh, the contrasts; becoming more vivid with each cheer.

I made the effort to salvage, the date, the night, the time.

"Coffee then?" just a few steps away.

At the coffee shop I stood back, pretending to miss the confusion.

Coffee, it should be simple enough, the menu was sparse

a gentle nudge, suggestion, for simple,

anything to take away the bewilderment.

Sputtering conversation grasping for connections, commonality

Comprehension…

Tales of youthful folly

resulting in a life of pain.

I knew, this was my sign, call it.

My life was already filled with pain,

from someone else's youthful mistake.

I understood what this would mean.

Was it fair to judge, on pain?

Fair to whom?

What of the contrast…

Either way, I walked away.