My Cell Phone Number

A friend of a friend of a friend
called tonight
to tell me
just how happy she is--

you see,
she grew up rather poor
and struggled most of her years.

but tonight,
when her children were cold,
she brought them home from school,
gave them hot chocolate,
put them in her new car,
and drove to their favorite department store.

And it wasn't a dollar tree,
walmart,
or even kmart.

they walked right in,
dazzled by the holiday glitter,
picked out the best winter gear in the store,
walked right up to the registar
and paid cash.

The children were warm,
cozy even. And the spree
never dent the budget
once. On the way home

it began to spit snow
and breath? it hung on the air.