Mom enrolls Dad in night class
at Butler County Community College
a mile down our winding road.
He just needs a higher education
and to maybe stop
getting high with the paperboy
to become a better man.
But old high school habits die hard.
Each week Dad skips
growing chunks of class time,
sneaking cigarettes in the bathroom
until finally
he’s going out drinking
instead of showing up for class at all.
Mom is furious
when he flunks,
but Dad is a salesman who can sell
anything, especially to her.
She was obviously wrong
to push him.