'A Matter of Business' by Donal Mahoney

​A Matter of Business
 
Every day at noon
when church bells peal
Rufus stops counting his money
gets up from his roll-top desk
lights a Cuban cigar
pours a glass of fine wine
and looks out his garret window
 
hoping to see Martha
his neighbor dead in the snow
dropped by a heart attack
or maybe black ice.
Either will do.
Too old to shovel the walk
she can’t afford to have it done.
 
Rufus never thought Martha
would live this long.
When she finally dies
the property reverts to him
the result of a deal he cut
with her dead husband Mort
years ago when the couple
 
needed his money and Rufus
figured they’d die in no time.
Mort was quick to cooperate
but Martha has been a turtle.
Twice now Rufus has lost
good buyers for the place
rehabbers think is worth fixing.
 
Rufus doesn’t agree
but he’ll sell the place in seconds
to anyone who offers the money.
For now, when church bells peal
Rufus lights a cigar, drinks wine,
looks out the window and thinks,
Hurry up Martha and die.
 
 
Donal Mahoney