He started off as a terrible husband
toilet seat up
dirty dishes in the sink
clothing on the floor
and she always reminded him to always get better
and he did
but still
grease on the stove
crumbs on the table
dirt on his shoes
and she always reminded him to always get better
and he did
but still
water spots on the sink
streaks on the mirror
fingerprints on the light switches
and she always reminded him to always get better
and he did
but still
finest dust seemed to fall
the scent of cooked food in the air
asymmetrical arrangements
and she always reminded him to always get better
and he did
but still
his ideas were flawed
his taste was questionable
his attitude wasn’t great
and she always reminded him to always get better
and he did
but still
he ended up as the perfect husband
to no one
but himself.
Transition from Terrible was written by Richard King Perkins II, who is a state-sponsored advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. He lives in Crystal Lake, IL, USA with his wife, Vickie and daughter, Sage. He is a three-time Pushcart, Best of the Net and Best of the Web nominee whose work has appeared in more than a thousand publications.