The Package

The package has to be delivered
By noon tomorrow

It is a graduation present
For a fifth grader
Going into middle school

When I graduated elementary school
My mother was at the casino
Letting it ride on five
And my father was playing a bar mitzvah
With his ZZ Top cover band

I learned early on
To be alone

But I also learned the value
Of being present
Of being on time

My parents were never on time
And so it was my grandfather
Who bought me a graduation gift

A beautiful watch
That keeps perfect time

A package has to be delivered
By noon tomorrow

And I make up scenarios in my head
Of what will happen
If it does not arrive on time

Wars will break out
Continents will fall into the ocean
Grown men and women
Will develop teenage acne

Pandemonium will ensue
Across the globe

This is what punctuality
Means to me

This is how seriously
I take time

Because time is ice
It's thin ice
And if you don't take it seriously
You fall through it
And there you are

My father fell through the ice

Two seconds before he died
He grabbed my hand

This was in a hospital, of course
We're not the sort of people who die at home
Like farmers or Christian scientists

Anyway, he grabbed my hand
And he asked 'Was I there?'

He didn't say for what
He didn't specify
But just sort of generally asked--

'Was I there?'

And, because I was taught not to lie
And, because no matter which situation he was referring to
The answer was 'No, you weren't'

I answered him
I said, 'No, you weren't'

And he died

And my mother died the same way
But without any questions
She didn't have to ask 'Was I there?'
She already knew the answer

After they both died
I went back to work
Delivering packages
So that the world wouldn't end

But in a way
It was more than that

It was a job that honored time
That honored being on time
Being punctual
Being there
Wherever you're supposed to be
When you're supposed to be there

And I appreciated that

I'd talk more about it
But I'm on the verge of running late

Time is ice
The ice is thin
The ice cracks
People fall through

That's really all you need to know

And that's all I can say
In the time that I have