dishwasher

i sat on the counter and listened to the dishwasher make its full cycle.

i sat on the counter and listened to you explain.

i asked the same rephrased questions while reversing the syntactic order.

you gave the same rephrased answers while instilling a gentler tone.

i understood and didn't understand

"that makes sense." but it doesn't.

forty-six minutes and four seconds later

i understood without understanding.

the dishwasher clicked once more then vented its steam.

you are gone. no i'm not. yes. you are.

maybe i'm starting to grow up.