Family Alarm Clock

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Father would get home from work

around five o'clock

He would sit in a club chair,

reading the New York Post

while my sisters were doing

sisterly things

and I was probably doing puzzles

in my room,

listening to the Beach Boys,

Chuck Berry or whatever

the radio had to offer

At no set time,

Mother would say 

 dinner was ready

but we knew

exactly when 

it was 6 o'clock

because the phone would ring

and Aunt Betty would tell us

about her day

or about whatever 

was on her mind

One of us would say

into the phone

"That's good"

or 

"That's funny"

and then she would talk 

some more

until dinner was done

and my sisters

[never their brother]

had to wash the dishes

 

 

"Aunt Betty"

 read the license plate

on my car

in California

 

It was paid for

by my inheritance

from her in 

Nineteen Ninety Something

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