New Poem: Rabbit

I was on a children’s TV programme for a short

interview. In the studio was a puppet. A rabbit.

I answered the question. The rabbit said, ‘Great.’

I left. Three years later I was in a bus queue. A

man joined the queue.

He said, ‘Hi.’

I said, ‘Hi.’

He said, ‘No?’

I said, ‘I don’t follow you.’

He said, ‘Do you remember me?’

I said, ‘I’m really sorry, I don’t. I’m no good with

faces. Then when I remember faces I can never

remember the name.’

He said, ‘It’s Gerry. We met doing a kids’ TV show.’

‘Really?’ I said.

‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘I’m a puppeteer.’

‘What was the show?’ I said.

‘You really don’t remember, do you?’

‘No, I don’t,’ I said, ‘I’m really sorry.’

‘“Headliners”’, he said, ‘with Floppy.’

‘Ah, yes, “Headliners”, yes. And Floppy. The rabbit.’

‘That’s it,’ he said and he nodded.

‘You were Floppy?’ I said.

‘That’s the one,’ he said.

‘The thing is,’ I said, ‘I don’t actually remember that

we met, did we?’

‘You just said we did - “Headliners” with Floppy. You

remembered.’

‘Yes, but...I mean...I remember the..’

I didn’t finish what I was saying.

‘You remember Floppy,’ he said.

‘Yes,’ I said, ‘yes.’

He didn’t say anything else. Neither did I.